Kelly time
n.— «My department uses the phrase kelly time. FLSA allows firefighters to work up to 204 hours within a 28 day period without requiring the employer to pay overtime. Anything over 204 must be paid at time and one half. All firemen at my station are assigned to a 24 hour shift and must work 216 hours within a 28 day period. We are required to take 12 hours of kelly time off within that 28 days to avoid overtime.» —“Kelly Day” by csy113 Firehouse Forums July 2, 2001. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Jim in Columbia, South Carolina, has noticed sportscasters’ use of the phrase on the season with reference to a period of time. This construction shows up in the sports pages as early as the 1880s, first referring to a team’s revenue and...
The slang phrase someone ate and left no crumbs means the person did something really well. In a previous call, a listener who works in theater noted the use of ate to mean “did something well,” as in they really ate that haircut! This...