nuclear option
n.— «One Conservative MP, fresh from helping to “talk out” a bill to outlaw fox-hunting last Friday, said the convention was only one of a number of ways to “filibuster” legislation. “‘I spy’ is the nuclear option,” he said. “But members intent on frustrating a bill can still deliberately table numerous amendments, or shuffle extremely slowly through the voting lobbies.”» —“MPs propose abolition of ancient Commons rituals” by Liam Halligan Financial Times (U.K.) Mar. 10, 1998. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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...
There are eight major planets, but more than a million minor ones, including asteroids. If you discover one, you get the honor of naming it. The Dictionary of Minor Planet Names includes minor planets named for rock bands, jazz musicians, poets, and...