ghost soldier
n.— «There were no regular South Vietnamese Army units station in Phuoctuy, and the province grew rich on “ghost soldiers,” phony names on the military roster.» —“Battle for Datdo Tests Local Vietnamese Leadership” by Fox Butterfield in Datdo, South Vietnam New York Times June 112, 1972. (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...