microclimate
n.— «We didn’t expect to see what I call “microclimates” in spending. Historically, companies in Europe have spent one-third of what U.S. companies spent; U.S. companies were putting money out for innovation and historically spending more than European companies as a percentage of revenue. But now the U.S. economy has taken such a hit that Europeans are spending more. On a regional basis, we were surprised at the efficiency apparent in Asian companies’ technology spending.» —“When Bad News Is Actually Good” by Howard Rubin Optimize Magazine Dec., 2004. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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...
Cat hair may be something you brush off, but cat hair is also a slang term that means “money.” In the same way, cat beer isn’t alcoholic — some people use cat beer as a joking term for “milk.” And imagine walking on a...