kinetic kill n.— «We accomplished that goal 25 years ago. It was a kinetic kill, as they call it. It did not use lasers. There are ways to blunt that.» —“Sens. Biden, Levin on ‘FNS’” Fox News Jan. 22, 2007. (source:...
Tom Dick adj.— «“That performance was good from us. We felt we did enough to win the game and were in a good position. We were disappointed to lose a goal to a set-piece in the end but it was only three points at stake, that’s all you get...
alligator arms n.pl.— «“Our goal is to hit a receiver so hard and so often they’ll catch the ball like an alligator. If you’ve ever seen an alligator, their arms are about three inches long. We want to hit a receiver enough to where he...
vomit draft n.— «And you can join them—even if your grammar grates and your spelling stinks. Your only goal is to finish what’s fondly called the “vomit draft.” Be assured that much of your novel will reek. But just as a slimy oyster...
bus n.— «One of the most complicated parts of the process involves miniaturising a nuclear device so it can fit on a missile.…The process involves fitting to a missile what is called a “bus” on which the warheads sit...
pamper pole n.— «“The Pamper Pole” is a 30-foot pole with a small platform on top. A trapeze hangs about 7 feet out from the platform. The goal is to climb to the top of the pole, stand on the platform and jump out to catch the...