landing gear
v. phr.— «He plugs the air line, emergency line and electrical cables from the cab to the trailer, cranks up the “landing gear” that keeps the trailer moored to the ground, rechecks tags to make sure he’s got the right load, locks the trailer with a cobalt lock and checks each of the 18 wheels’ air pressure by listening to the thud when he bangs on it with the rod.» —“Holiday shopping frenzy or not, he keeps on truckin’” by Abigail Goldman Los Angeles Times Dec. 24, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Deb in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, says that when her mother was disappointed or annoyed she’d say Wouldn’t that just cork you? The idea here is that in the same way that a cork that stops up a bottle, an unexpected or irritating event metaphorically...
Jane in Denver, Colorado, is a fan of audiobooks, but wonders if there’s a better word than read to denote having experienced such a book by listening. Some people have suggested ear reading or audio reading or simply experiencing a book. Or you...