fudge n.— «This remarkable time record was rendered possible by a process known as “fudging.” The type lines set by the linotype-telegraph operator are wider at the top that at the base, so that when placed together they form...
dead man’s switch n. especially in railroad usage, a safety device meant to stop or slow a vehicle or machine if its operator releases the controls. Also dead man’s handle, dead man’s brake, dead man’s lever, dead man’s pedal. (source: Double...
Billary n.— «Who is Hillary Clinton?…In the unstable personality we used to call “Billary,” he was the id and she was the super-ego, a role she clearly relished even as it poisoned her with resentment.» —“A sleek...
finger trouble n. a problem caused by a typographical error, incorrect settings on a machine, or poor manual dexterity. Etymological Note: This term appears to originate in aviation. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
bombsighting n.— «The machines, which are roughly the size of an upright piano and usually sell for between $50,000 and $80,000, pump “microdots” of molten solder through a nozzle onto the precise spot where component parts are to be...
marsh mog n.— «For the past two years officials have used a modified snow-grooming machine to spray the herbicide. The widely spaced tracks of the marsh mog, as it is called, allow the machine to tread lightly on the fragile tidal...