Stephen Girard job n.— «Years ago in Philadelphia they had what was known as a Stephen Girard job. During some previous hard times this philanthropist fenced in vacant ground, and anyone in need came in, carried bricks from one side to...
airdropping n.— «Many earmarks are placed in larger spending bills, often at the last minute—a practice known as “airdropping”—to avoid serious scrutiny. Even if voters learn about the earmark, they may be left in the dark as to who...
free-casing n.— «Torack was arrested by an off-duty police officer who was working as a security guard for the scrap metal yard. Torack suggested it was an example of “free-casing.” The term borrows from the drug vernacular—freebasing—and...
winshield time n.— «Salespeople call it “face time.” In Missouri, they rue “windshield time”—the hours spent driving to get to customers.» —“Tough Choices: Cutting Output, IBM Tells Some Workers: Move, Retire...
pomp v.— «House decorations are extravagant house boards that are made through a process called pomping, which is done by gluing tissue paper to wooden boards.» —“Students celebrate Homecoming” by Samantha Liss in...
bag skate n.— «A legendary sign of trouble when players arrive for practice is that there are no pucks out. That means it’s a “bag skate,” a vigorous, sprint-heavy, all-skating workout that is often punishment. The exact...