soft first-story
n.— «The place Vogel calls home isn’t a “soft first-story,” the term used to describe a multistory building where parking is tucked beneath the units. Instead of load-bearing walls, narrow poles bear the brunt of the weight.» —“Bay Area news in brief” in Palo Alto Mercury News (San Jose, California) Apr. 14, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
The words tough, through, and dough all end in O-U-G-H. So why don’t they rhyme? A lively new book addresses the many quirks of English by explaining the history of words and phrases. And: have you ever been in a situation where a group makes...
Understanding the varieties of conversational styles can mean the difference between feeling you’re understood and being insulted. “High-involvement” speakers interrupt or talk along with someone else to signal their enthusiasm...