bean shoot n.— «Only a few weeks shy of parole in 1995, Andre found himself confined to a cell with walls the color of Pepto-Bismol. He received his meals through a slit in the door known in prison parlance as a “bean shoot”;...
frottoir n.— «Zydeco, like Simien, is a native of the southwest region of Louisiana. It’s the music of the prairies and swamps. The primary instruments are the accordion and the frottoir, which is a rubboard.» —“Blues, Creole, Cajun...
strawberry n.— «Molly talks about the working girls on skid row who are known as strawberries. What’s that? I ask. That’s what they call girls who turn tricks for the price of a rock, Molly says.» —“A Corner Where L.A. Hits Rock...
lumberjill n.— «The lumberjacks—and, as they are called, lumberjills—will compete in events including cross-cut sawing.» —“Forest Festival shows off skills” by Molly Gilmore-Baldwin Olympian (Olymia, Wash...
prior-roarity n.— «In the Texas legislature, they are called “prior-roarities,” such a happy coinage. What should come prior?» —“Lynching Social Security” by Molly Ivins WorkingForChange (U.S...
FLOHPA n.— «If Kerry wins Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania—the battleground trifecta being referred to as “FLOHPA”—Bush would need to hold all of his red states and win two Democratic-leaning states.» —“Eight states too...