pooled spray
n.— Note: Describes the same event as this citation for spray. «Mr Obama’s team, however, said that there never had been plans for anything but only a pooled spray, in which a handful of journalists pose questions in a more informal setting. The British Embassy sought to bridge the linguistic divide by referring to a “press availability.” Downing Street insisted that it was still a “press conference,” although one official added the caveat that “the new Administration has its own way of doing things.”» —“Gordon Brown and Barack Obama at ease after a little linguistic difference” by Tom Baldwin Times (London, England) Mar. 4, 2009. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
There was a time when William Shakespeare was just another little seven-year-old in school. Classes in his day were demanding — and all in Latin. A new book argues that this rigorous curriculum actually nurtured the creativity that later flourished...
John in Omaha, Nebraska, wonders about a phrase that encourages someone to attend an event or risk being left out or feeling uncool: be there or be square. Don’t fall for the fake etymology about people wearing boxes on their heads! Ditto for...