fling
n.— «He studied the deep-earth sources of earthquakes and coined the more graphic term “fling” for a phenomenon scientists call elastic rebound, which occurs along a fault line in an earthquake’s initial stages. It is this snap-back along a slipping fault, much like the rebound of a rubber band, that causes much of the damage to structures after a quake.» —“Bruce A. Bolt, 75, Scientist Who Improved Earthquake Safety, Dies” by Jeremy Pearce New York Times July 28, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Imagine telling someone how to get to your home, but without using the name of your street, or any other street within ten miles. Could you do it? We take street names for granted, but these words are useful for far more, like applying for a job or...
If you speak a second or third language, you may remember the first time you dreamed in that new tongue. But does this milestone mean you’re actually fluent? And a couple’s dispute over the word regret: Say you wish you’d been able...