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
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