pig
n.— «Bad jokes flew Friday after a flurry of media reports that a pig caused a train derailment in Saginaw County’s Carrollton Township. Only problem was, the “pig” was a slang reference to a propane tank.» —“Pig stories fly after train derailment” by Cheryl Wade Midland Daily News (Michigan) May 19, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Oofless is an antiquated bit of British slang that describes someone temporarily short on cash. It’s from ooftisch, a Yiddish-derived term for “cash placed on the table,” from German auf Tisch. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
Carpe diem! A new book reveals the surprisingly unfamiliar stories behind familiar quotations. Also: Rock climbers have gumbies, and surfers have kooks. What do those words say about beginners who have more confidence than experience? Plus, if...