The Italian word ponte means “bridge,” as in the Ponte Vecchio of Florence. In Italian, ponte now also denotes the Monday or Friday added to make for a long weekend. Other languages, such as German and Spanish, also make a similar use of their words...
Those little musical interludes on radio programs, particularly public radio shows, go by lots of names, including stinger, button, bumper, and bridge. By the way, the fellow who chooses and inserts them in our show is our engineer and technical...
To spin a brodie or pull a brodie is to spin a doughnut in a car. The term derives from the name of Steve Brodie, who allegedly jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge in 1886. To do a brodie, originally meaning to jump or fall, came to mean any kind of...
bridge-up
n.— «The “reverse pushups” are called “bridge-ups” if you’re facing upwards and your arms are “above” your head.» —“Day six” by Andy Rutledge Sleepless in the Seattle Metro Area Sept. 28, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
steel monkey n.— «This is where not being a sissy comes in. Steel monkeys as they are affectionately called, have to walk the steel girders in order to put the steel beams in place. They walk the beams a hundred feet in the air. One false step and...
ramping n.— «City road crews say “vehicle ramping”—the term used to describe hard-packed snowbanks that are left on the sides of bridges, guard rails, medians and roads by snow removal crews—is uncommon in Saskatoon. “Ramping isn’t much of a...
