empty tin
n.— «In the current politically charged environment characterised by an increasing number of what the state terms “illegal” demonstrations, rallies and riots, the police definitely has its hands full. Yet this situation is bound to spiral. What, with the opposition and of late civic society increasingly raising contentious national issues and the NRM government as usual acting with conceit, referring to them as “empty tins?”» —“Was there a jailbreak from CPS Kampala last week?” by Nicholas Sengoba Daily Monitor (Kampala, Uganda) Apr. 24, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
In 1916, a small-town newspaper in Pennsylvania printed a fanciful item about a local gathering with a guest list that included, among others, Miss Ella Vader, Mr. Ray Zor, and other punny names. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
A firefighter named Steve in Newport News, Virginia, wonders why in his line of work, and for some police, certain additional kinds of days off after long unbroken shifts are called Kelly days, Kelly shifts, or Kelly time. The term most likely comes...