heckler’s veto

heckler’s veto n. the cancellation or suppression of a public event (such as a discussion, speech, or rally) due to (threat of) interruptions, protests, or violence. Etymological Note: The origin of the term given in the 1977 citation has not been verified. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)

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Further reading

By a Long Shot (episode #1572)

Imagine telling someone how to get to your home, but without using the name of your street, or any other street within ten miles. Could you do it? We take street names for granted, but these words are useful for far more, like applying for a job or...

When Pigs Fly (episode #1571)

Don’t move my cheese! It’s a phrase middle managers use to talk about adapting to change in the workplace. Plus, the origin story of the name William, and why it’s Guillermo in Spanish. And a five-year-old poses a question that...