janteloven n.— «Minnesotans have a Norwegian word, “Janteloven,” which translates roughly—very roughly—as: “Don’t think you’re wiser or better than us; you aren’t.” » —“Ventura was natural choice for maverick...
Wheaties test n.— «Fleming said those pictures “surely pass the ‘Wheaties’ test,” meaning that one could look at them while eating breakfast.» —“Editors were wise to withhold photographs of aborted fetuses” by...
SK n.— «Then there’s the name. “Sauerkraut,” which literally means “sour cabbage,” just doesn’t sound seductive. When it comes to foul-sounding food names, perhaps only “liverwurst” comes close. Lindsay...
flyer n.— «Berens, known in cheerleading vernacular as a “flyer,” is part girl, part bird. Flung skyward, she spirals dizzyingly back into a net of her teammates’ arms, a smile ready for the dismount.» —“2, 4, 6, 8, which...
cuffing and stuffing v.— «We’re a white-collar unit—paper crimes, fraud, embezzlement. The old cuffing-and-stuffing routine doesn’t come to us very much.» —“Club owner’s sense of something off-key led to the arrest of rock-star...
chippy adj.— «The nonsensical night was not restricted to the ballplayers. Francona was wrapping up his interview session when a radio guy who had seen too many Patriots games asked: “Coach, do you think the long playoffs these two...