gazump
v.— «It’s called “gazumping” in England, the process by which someone selling a piece of property accepts an offer from one buyer, maybe even going so far as to shake hands on it, then quickly—and often surreptitiously—accepts another, higher, offer from a second buyer, leaving the first buyer with his pockets agape and his heart broken. Gazump is a glorious, full-bodied word, with a lusty feel in the mouth; the behavior it outlines, however, is anything but satisfying.» —“The Golden Rule Is Taking a Beating” by Penelope Green New York Times June 27, 2004. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Language is always evolving, and that’s also true for American Sign Language. A century ago, the sign for “telephone” was one fist below your mouth and the other at your ear, as if you’re holding an old-fashioned candlestick...
A listener in Unadilla, New York, says her husband, whose family is French-Canadian, uses the phrase That burns my onions when something irritates him. There are several kitchen-related metaphors used to express anger, including that steams my...