Aubrey in Waco, Texas, says her mother used to warn the kids against contracting honkus of the bonkus, a fanciful name for a contagious disease. This colloquial term probably comes from the words bonk and konk, meaning “to hit” or...
maitre-dish n.— «Both worked at the Fog City Diner; Doug as bartender, Nancy as “maitre-dish.”» —“After a few years, he fit the picture” by Louise Rafkin San Francisco Chronicle (California) July...
viz n.— «For divers, all that silt obscures almost everything. “I always say, gimme a foot of viz”—visibility—“and that’s a great day,” says the NYPD’s John Drzal. “Even with a light, you can see just enough to gauge how much air you have...
Oreo cow n.— «These days, the hills are dotted with grazing black-and-white cattle affectionately called “Oreo cows” by residents.» —“Stanford Hills” Palo Alto Online (California) Jan. 20, 2009...
HENRY n.—Gloss: A person who is a High Earner But Not Rich Yet. «“My bonus is ‘shameful’—but I worked hard to get it,” said John Konstantinidis, a wholesale insurance broker, lunching Friday at Harry’s at Hanover Square. “I’m a HENRY,” Mr...
banana bender n.— «When speaking of Johnson, a “banana bender,” the term for all Queenslanders. It is said they spend their time putting the bends into bananas.» —“ Bend it like Johnson” by Kevin...