flea n.— «A flea, in the parlance of medical students, is an internal medicine resident. And, by way of further explanation—here’s where the pejorative nature comes into play—a flea is “the last thing off a dying dog...
motarded adj. excessively stupid; in the military, enthusiastic to the point of stupidity. Editorial Note: Although there’s no shortage of jokes, puns, and misunderstandings about its similarity to “retarded,” a different...
boob tape n.— «“Have you got any boob tape?” one young woman asks, thankfully adding a colourful explanation. Boob tape is double-sided adhesive tape designed to prevent wardrobe malfunctions of the type pioneered by singer Janet...
buzzard’s luck n. bad luck. Editorial Note: This term refers specifically to carrion-feeding North American vultures that are called buzzards. The expression is often accompanied by the explanation that a buzzard “can’t kill nothing and...
perp n. a pup or puppy; a dog. Also purp. Editorial Note: In the 1958 citation, “Perp” is the name of a dog. In the 1959 source, a dog is pictured wearing a cowboy hat. Etymological Note: Probably due to r-epenthesis (also known as...
colleagueism n.— «I heard a cogent explanation on a national talk show about why no one else on the 9-11 Commission ever challenged the obvious conflict of interest of a former Democrat Assistant Attorney General participating in the...