four percenter
n.— «Referring to the police colloquialism of “four percenters,” the relatively small number of well-known offenders responsible for the preponderance of downtown crime, Judge Baird Ellan said that the phrase can now be amended to “five percenters…street crime is becoming something of a crisis…“» —“Chief Provincial Judge says: “street crime…something of a crisis”” in Vancouver, B.C. CNW Telbec (Can.) June 24, 2004. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
In the 15th century, the word respair meant “to have hope again.” Although this word fell out of use, it’s among dozens collected in a new book of soothing vocabulary for troubled times. Plus, baseball slang: If a batter...
Eric from West Lafayette, Indiana, wonders which phrase is correct when referring to “making the grade” or “meeting expectations”: Is it cut the mustard or cut the muster? It’s the former, a reference to the strong...