vernie n.— «The students, who, if they do manage to make it to higher learning institutions have even been known to face discrimination from private or convent-educated students and are snickeringly referred to as “vernies” (vernacular).» —“Mind...
sky island n.— «As breezes from the Gulf of Mexico lift over the Chiricahua Mountains, an exceptional amount of rain falls on this desert region, which has bee aptly called a “sky island.” The volcanic soil among the rock and ample shade produce an...
slab v.— «One problem is lack of evidence. Many homes were, in post-Katrina parlance, “slabbed,” wiped away down to their flat, concrete foundations.» —“The Gulf Coast grapples with insurance suits” by Liam Pleven in Gulfport, Mississippi Post...
bubble-head n.— «For those who served on board the storied Maryland, the one that survived Pearl Harbor and distinguished itself at such legendary venues as the Tarawa atoll, Leyte Gulf and Okinawa, no submarine can take the place of their...
down-range adv.— «The only time the Zaragoza clubs made any sort of profit at all was during the run-up to Gulf War I. All the troops passing through on their way to Saudi Arabia (otherwise referred to as “down-range”) were confined to base while...
plaza n.— «It has traditionally controlled access to the Nuevo Laredo-Laredo smuggling routes, referred to as “plazas.”…The Sinaloa Cartel redoubled its efforts to capture control of the Nuevo Laredo plaza from the Gulf Cartel, precipitating the...