In the military, if you’ve lost the bubble, then you can’t find your bearings. The term first referred to calibrating the position of aircraft and submarines. • The phrase the coast is clear may originate in watching for invaders...
The term elbow clerk, encountered at a conference of judges and lawyers, refers to a clerk who works directly in a judge’s chambers, right at the judge’s elbow. It suggests an all-purpose helper who is always on hand, though the phrase also invites...