exploding contract
n.— «The Peel Board of Education has the worst record in Ontario for giving young teachers what are called exploding contracts—new teachers are forced to sign letters of resignation at the same time as they sign contracts. That way, the board does not have to fire anyone; they already have dozens of resignations they can use instead.» —“Why the teachers are on strike against Peel board” by Marion Piroth de Man, Barry Johnson in Mississauga, Ontario Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada) Oct. 13, 1979. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Aubrey in Waco, Texas, says her mother used to warn the kids against contracting honkus of the bonkus, a fanciful name for a contagious disease. This colloquial term probably comes from the words bonk and konk, meaning “to hit” or...
Rowan in Ottawa, Ontario, says her Irish mom used a puzzling word to indicate a sort of restless discontent not caused by anything in particular. It may be neamhchinnte, which means “uncertain” or “indecisive.” This is part...