drowning machine n.— «This creates a hazardous situation for paddlers who don’t know that the river is about to take a dangerous drop. Low-head dams, such as Idols, are often referred to as “drowning machines” because of the...
blue canary n. an emergency worker (especially a police officer or first responder) whose death alerts other personnel to a hazardous situation. Etymological Note: From the use of canaries in coal mines, whose death would alert miners to the...