Paul in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, has long been mystified by the title commander in chief. Why, he wonders, isn’t it commander and chief? The title commander in chief is a vestige of French military titles, specifically the construction en chef...
belly button n. a person or unit in charge of, or the source of information for, a task or operation. Editorial Note: The “belly button” in the 1987 and 1994 citations is variably given in press reports as the name of a secret trust fund and as the...
fragged adj. planned; outlined in a fragmentary order, or FRAGO. Editorial Note: This is etymologically unrelated to frag ‘to kill with a fragmentation grenade (especially by a soldier against his commander)” or ‘to kill a character or avatar in an...