half-pregnant
adj.— «The resolution on North Korea belongs to a new set of UN decisions that diplomats refer to as “half-pregnant.” These, though impressive on paper, are subject to “ifs and buts” that render them useless in practice.» —“Eye of the Storm: Security Council to Iran: Go for it” by Amir Taheri Jerusalem Post (Israel) Oct. 19, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
A flashlight emits a steady beam of light. So what’s the flash part of that word about? Also, if you’re a nervous Nellie, you’re skittish and indecisive—both characteristics of an American politician who earned that nickname in the...
Twice a day the River Thames recedes, revealing a muddy shoreline. Hobbyists known as mudlarks stroll the surface searching for objects that have found their way into the river over the centuries, everything from ancient Roman jewelry to modern...