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
Asthenosphere, a geologist’s term for the molten layer beneath the earth’s crust, sparks a journey that stretches all the way from ancient Greece to the author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Plus: What the heck is a dogberg? It’s when...
Some TV commercials launch catchphrases that stick around long after the original ads. The exclamation Good stuff, Maynard! is still a compliment almost 40 years after it was used in a commercial for Malt-O-Meal hot cereal. And: what do you call...