schmutzdecke n.— «Periodically the top layer of sand (approximately 25 to 100m deep) needs to be removed from the slow sand filters together with the associated biological accumulation (“schmutzdecke”) for cleaning...
grits line n.— «Alexandria still has its Jefferson Davis Highway and Springfield its Robert E. Lee High School, but if last week’s election showed anything, it’s that Northern Virginia is not only different than the rest of the state, it...
dick v. to watch or to keep under surveillance. Editorial Note: There are also, of course, a wide variety of sex-related slang homonyms that are well-covered elsewhere. Etymological Note: The Historical Dictionary of American Slang attributes this...
Midland Empire n.— «A true hub city and gateway to the West, Billings has become the commercial, health care, and cultural capital of the “Midland Empire,” a vast area of agricultural, mountainous, wilderness, and sometimes...
rubber room n.— «Deatherage, a 31-year railroad veteran, and two other Burlington-Northern employees are paid for their time in what they call the “rubber room.” The firm calls it an alternative work location. The three have...
bump n.— «Star Magazine, “Entertainment Tonight” and People Magazine all refer to it as “the bump,” and since Britney first started sporting hers last year, it’s been the hottest thing going.» —“How to get the most out of your...