on memo adv. phr.— «“Whether he was selling shoe laces or wine bottles or jewelry, you had that sense of credibility.” Mr. Esmerian, an early believer, gave Mr. Leighton jewelry “on memo,” or on consignment, to sell...
belt-buckle rash n.— «Belt-Buckle Rash is actually the result of many factors; snaps, zippers and even the abrasive effects of denim will also result in finish damage. However, the most sinister threat to an instrument’s finish is...
goodbye effect n.— «The beam produces what experimenters call the “Goodbye effect,” or “prompt and highly motivated escape behavior.” In human tests, most subjects reached their pain threshold within 3 seconds, and...
million-mile screwdriver n.— «“Sometimes fixing it is hard at this distance,” said Cox, who is now deputy team leader for the Mars Exploration Rovers. “You find a way to work around it,” what she calls the “million...
infartillery n.— «To combat the mortar-firing insurgents, Vuono’s soldiers have become what some soldiers call “infartillery”—artillery experts who can also use infantry skills to root out the enemy in urban warfare...
age out v. phr.— «At least when it comes to the 9,000 children the government has taken into care on your behalf. They are children who have no one else capable of caring for them. So the government, acting for you, has stepped in to keep...