moondust n.— «They must choose between snatching an hour of sleep or using the precious time to clean their weapons, which often jam from the fine sand—which soldiers call “moondust”—that is swept up by incessant winds, penetrating even the tiniest...
sandwich eater n.— «The official team wasn’t just kinda late, but also ineffective, according to those on the ground. “Those guys are called ‘the sandwich eaters’…The official clean-up guys hang out in their vans and then walk to the sand for the...
lilywhite n. a person without a police record; someone who does not trigger suspicions; a clean-skin. Editorial Note: This is a more specific sense of the adjectival form of lily-white ‘lacking faults or imperfections; beyond reproach.’ (source:...
mop and glow v. phr. attributively, connoting hazardous materials clean-up, especially when applied to emergency services personnel. Etymological Note: Probably influenced by “Mop & Glo,” a strong-smelling household floor cleaner manufactured by...
clean-skin n. a person without a police record; someone who does not trigger suspicions; (hence) an unimpeachable person; a lilywhite. Editorial Note: This term is more common in Australia, where it dates to at least as early as 1941. (source:...
