pigeon
n.— «Forty years ago AA was difficult to find and in some cities it was necessary to locate a minister or doctor who had personal knowledge of a member in order to connect. When found, the members were confrontational. They would make great sacrifices to help a member stay sober but there was great concern that the alcoholic had personally requested help and was not just responding to the urging of others. There was lots of talk about whether the perspective member had “hit bottom.” No effort was made to attract members and new members, “pigeons” as they were called, were encouraged (sometimes bluntly) to sit quietly and listen.» —“Alcoholics Anonymous” by Al Cronkrite Ether Zone July 20, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
What’s up with ketchup? The shifting history and spelling of the name of this condiment. For centuries, ketchup was a fishy sauce originating in Asia—the tomatoes came only later! Plus, a new book shows what’s lost when a language dies: when there...
Kate in Omaha, Nebraska, wonders about the expression Doctor of Humane Letters, an honorary degree conferred by Creighton University. The words humane and letters in this case mean something slightly different from their modern meanings. The older...