Ketchikan tennis shoe
n.— «One of natural wool’s greatest attributes is one of its greatest weaknesses: It absorbs moisture without losing insulating value. This makes it perfect for something like socks in rubber boots or, as they are called in Southeast, “Ketchikan tennis shoes.”» —“Wool vs. synthetics” by Craig Medred Anchorage Daily News (Alaska) Jan. 13, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
The words tough, through, and dough all end in O-U-G-H. So why don’t they rhyme? A lively new book addresses the many quirks of English by explaining the history of words and phrases. And: have you ever been in a situation where a group makes...
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...