on the tarmac
adj.— «The panel found the agency was “lenient” and “ineffective” and in some cases lost track of people enrolled in the program. As many as 200 people at any given time, or 40 percent of those enrolled, are “considered to be lost from the program,” referred to as “on the tarmac,” according to the report.» —“Grand Jury: Drug program needs overhaul” by Jessica Keating Ventura County Star (California) June 22, 2004. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
National Book Award winner Barry Lopez had wise advice for young writers. First, read widely and follow your curiosity. Second, travel or learn a foreign language. And third, find out what you truly believe, because if you’re not writing from...
Twice a day the River Thames recedes, revealing a muddy shoreline. Hobbyists known as mudlarks stroll the surface searching for objects that have found their way into the river over the centuries, everything from ancient Roman jewelry to modern...