shot house
n.— «In two places on the Bowery and one on Park Row arrests were made and alleged liquor confiscated. The police say that the three places were “shot houses” where liquor is sold at 5, 10 or 15 cents a drink.» —“Liquor Toll Inquiry Ordered By Tuttle” New York Times Oct. 10, 1928. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Sigrin writes from Albany, New York, that she misheard our earlier conversation about the expression shaving yak hair meaning “performing a monotonous, tedious task.” At first she thought we said shaving gnat hair, which she figures is...
Sean in Oneonta, New York, says that when he was growing up in New Jersey, his family would pile in the car and set off on a surprise adventure, whether a short distance or long, and the kids would be told only that they were going on Buxtehude...