bagel n.— «Burak’s dog Memphis, a beagle-basset hound cross (or a bagel, as they are called) and for whom the store is named—drags a blanket in his mouth on the hardwood floor.» —“James North comes in from the cold” by Jon...
petrodictator n.— «If oil were $50 a barrel, the $50 tax needed to achieve the price floor would go to America’s government for fuel energy programs, not to foreign “petrodictators,” as he calls them.» —“Say you want a...
track v.— «The district police chief’s office, on the third floor of the police compound, is dimly lit; sandbags block the windows. Norris goes over the plan, telling Col. Anan, the chief, how many polling sites his police need to protect...
knocking box n.— «The three pigs are released into a chute that guides them into the building and directly into what is called a “knocking box.” The knocking box is a tall concrete box with an entrance from the outside, a gate...
rinkrash n.— «It’s also a violent sport. The Roller Warriors’ website features the “Injury Archive,” a photo gallery of grotesque bruises, facial stitches, knee-surgery images and floor burns—commonly known as rinkrash...
pass a bill under the hammer v. phr.— «Thousands of bills were considered during the legislative session and 466 roll call votes were taken. The vast majority of bills are voted unanimously to either pass or fail out of committee and the...