old man’s friend
n.— «Until recent times, most of us, when we died, died at home, surrounded by family and friends. Death often came with merciful rapidity. Pneumonia was commonly referred to as “the old man’s friend.”» —“Legalize the right to die in peace?” by Arthur Schafer Globe and Mail Jan. 17, 1984. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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...
An anadrome is a word that forms a whole new word when you spell it backwards. For example, the word “stressed” spelled backwards is “desserts.” Some people’s first names are anadromes. There’s the girl named Noel...