Polly, a library worker in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, wonders about the correct term for the fuzzy puffball atop a warm hat. Is it a tribble or a pompom? The word tribble first appeared in the classic Star Trek episode “The...
stockering n.— «Calves that have been weaned and are intended for sale as commercial feeder cattle, but that have not yet been placed in the feedlot, are commonly referred to as stocker cattle. Immediate demand for stocker cattle is...
DiDip n.— «I was thinking of you last night when I was swigging my diet Dr. Pepper… “damn that Jason Wood for shining a light on how good Dr. Pepper is!”…“DiDip,” as we used to affectionately call it in my college days...
surplusing n.— «The employees will have the opportunity to “follow the work,” as AT&T puts it, thus skirting a promise it made in its current contract with the union not to engage in “surplusing,” which is...
risk car n.— «Now a growing number of rental cars are called “risk” cars. Rental companies buy them at a smaller discount and then are responsible for reselling them. “The percentage of program cars (in fleets) two years...
opco propco n.— «Until recently it was believed that the only way for a pub group to convert to Reit status would be to split into a property company and an operating company—a process known as “opco propco’—which could involve...