ghost
n.— «What was meant to be a day meeting the Iraqi people in one of Baghdad’s eastern neighborhoods abruptly turned into a long day of what the soldiers now refer to as “chasing the ghosts of small arms fire.” The troops used to laugh about these “ghosts” and their poorly aimed potshots, but now they take them very seriously.» —“Soldiers in Baghdad chasing ‘ghosts’” by Arwa Damon in Baghdad, Iraq CNN Oct. 6, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
The words cushy, cheeky, and non-starter all began as Britishisms, then hopped across the pond to the United States. A new book examines what happens when British words and phrases migrate into American English. Also, if you speak a language besides...
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...