shortfalling
n.— «While Democrats in Congress have vowed to investigate the findings, Bush said “the IG report, which justly made issue of FBI shortfallings, also made it clear that these letters were important to the security of the United States.”» —“Bush vows swift action in FBI records scandal” by Steve Holland in Anchorena Park, Uruguay ABC News Mar. 10, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
A flashlight doesn’t flash. It provides a steady beam of light. So why is it called a flashlight? The earliest versions lit up only briefly before the batteries gave out and required a recharge, so they were literally “flash lights...
National Book Award winner Barry Lopez had wise advice for young writers. First, read widely and follow your curiosity. Second, travel or learn a foreign language. And third, find out what you truly believe, because if you’re not writing from...