elephant cage
n.— «A structure similar to a fence of tall steel posts stands out in the distance. “We call that the elephant cage,” an officer says. It is the property of the 6921st Security Wing, a high-power electronic eavesdropping outfit that prefers to be identified, if at all, as having something to do with “communications.”» —“Jets From U.S. Base in Japan Patrol Near Soviet” by Robert Trumbull in Misawa, Japan New York Times June 12, 1966. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
A new book about how animals perceive their environment reveals immense worlds beyond our own. A bee can see ultraviolet light, catfish have taste buds all over their bodies, and manatees use highly sensitive lips to examine nearby objects. Also...
In Japanese, an irresistibly cute baby might be described with an expression that translates as “Even if I put it in my eye, it wouldn’t hurt.” It’s a form of what psychologists call cute aggression, or the overwhelming urge to squeeze, crush, or...