scarlet letter
n.— «The court became the first in Ohio to immobilize the vehicles of repeat OMVI offenders. Adkins also began ordering repeat offenders to put yellow license tags on their automobiles as “scarlet letters,” he said.» —“Court of Appeal; Fun-Loving Yet Serious Circleville Judge Makes An Impression” by Jim Massie in Circleville, Ohio Columbus Dispatch (Ohio) Sept. 2, 1993. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Cat hair may be something you brush off, but cat hair is also a slang term that means “money.” In the same way, cat beer isn’t alcoholic — some people use cat beer as a joking term for “milk.” And imagine walking on a...
There are eight major planets, but more than a million minor ones, including asteroids. If you discover one, you get the honor of naming it. The Dictionary of Minor Planet Names includes minor planets named for rock bands, jazz musicians, poets, and...