load the cannon
v.— «Cycling slang includes numerous terms for doping: “mess up the soup,” “pissing violet,” “having a magic suitcase,” “not riding on mineral water,” “loading the cannon” or “boiling the saucepan over” and “salting the mustard” and, in a reference to the eyes dilating when amphetamine is used, “lighting the headlights.” Most recently, amateur cyclists have talked of “dining chez Virenque,” a reference to the seven-times mountains winner banned after the Festina scandal.» —“Fotheringham’s Tour de France trivia” by William Fotheringham Guardian (U.K.) July 26, 2004. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
How did the term Bohemian come to be associated with literary and artistic nonconformists who live outside mainstream society? In the early 19th century, the French term La bohème was applied to the Romani people, also known as the Roma, a...
The word filibuster has a long and colorful history, going back to the days when pirates roamed the high seas. Today it refers to hijacking a piece of legislation. Plus, the language of yoga teachers: When doing a guided meditation, you may hear...