stove-pipe
n.— «Soldiers call it a “stove-pipe.” It happens rarely, and usually in the very worst of combat circumstances: the soldier is fatally hit just as he is firing his handgun. In the split second when his weapon fires, the wounded soldier suddenly loosens his hold on the gun, what’s known as a “dead man’s grip.” Instead of a rigid hand taking the recoil, the handgun absorbs all the force, and the extraction and ejection mechanism fails. The spent bullet cartridge will jam—or “stovepipe”—upright, partially ejected from the pistol’s breach.» —“A very private death” by Paul Daley The Bulletin (Australia) Sept. 20, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
A hundred years ago, suffragists lobbied to win women the right to vote. Linguistically speaking, though, suffrage isn’t about “suffering.” It’s from a Latin word that involves voting. Plus: military cadences often include...
Unwrap the name of a candy bar, and you just might find a story inside. For instance, one chewy treat found in many a checkout lane is named after a family’s beloved horse. And: 50 years ago in the United States, some Latino elementary...