raincoat crowd n.— «Hey, it’s got Lindsay Lohan in it. Something for the raincoat crowd!» —“Herbie: Fully Loaded” by Elf M. Sternberg MegaZone’s Safety Valve (Worcester, Massachusetts) Mar. 12, 2005...
half-a-loaf n.— «If you already have a prepaid funeral, you would be able to do a “half-a-loaf.” The “half-a-loaf” is a method of gifting where you give away half of your assets and keep one-half to pay for the disqualification...
plasticulture n.— «“Things look terrific out there. We have some nice big fruit,” said farm owner Mary McCaffrey, who uses a growing technique called “plasticulture.” The terms applies to using plastic to assist the...
beaver deceiver n.— «The current law allows homeowners and towns various solutions to resolving conflicts with beavers including flow devices known to some as “beaver deceivers.” Flow devices cost approximately $900-$1,200, half the price...
nothingburger n.— «Maybe I’ll write a réplique to Steve Almond’s ridiculous, overheated op-ed commentary, in which he resigned his nothingburger teaching job at Boston College to protest its selection of Condoleezza Rice as commencement...
performativity n.— «Recently, a Harvard teaching fellow, Jen Hui Bon Hoa, sent an e-mail to her students in English 193: Introduction to 20th-Century Literary Theory, informing them that the next day’s lesson would be a...