TagNew York Times

ghost soldier

ghost soldier  n.— «There were no regular South Vietnamese Army units station in Phuoctuy, and the province grew rich on “ghost soldiers,” phony names on the military roster.» —“Battle for Datdo Tests Local Vietnamese...

mongo

mongo  n.— «Other exhibits at the gallery were a 1,500-square-foot transparent map showing the locations of Sanitation Department offices; three piles of televisions on which videotapes of sanitation workers were shown, and an old...

mongo

mongo  n.— «“Mongo” is slang for garbage salvaged from streets and trash heaps. Any rubbish can qualify, whether it’s edible, wearable, useful or indescribable.» —“‘Mongo’: I Love Trash” by Jane and Michael...

homegoing

homegoing  n.— «He said that in the many black churches he had visited he had heard funerals referred to as “homegoings.”» —“In a Sprawling Memoir, Clinton Cites Storms and Settles Scores” by John M...

toad

toad  n.— «“There’s a toad!” she exclaimed, referring not to a warty amphibian but to a defunct Toys “R” Us (Toad: Temporary, Obsolete, Abandoned or Derelict site).» —“Defining Sprawl: From A to Z” by...