cult n.— «The gang is one of several heavily armed, violent groups, known in Nigeria as cults, that have played havoc on the streets of Port Harcourt, the capital of Nigeria’s oil industry, in recent years.» —“Gang Blamed as 10 Are...
motion lotion n.— «When I was getting a pre-race rub down from our trainers, we Tigers ran out of what was known as “motion lotion”—think wintergreen, Ben-Gay and baby oil—heats up the muscles before you jump into a 76.2 F...
play n.— «That is why some companies are going back to old, supposedly tapped-out reservoirs—or “plays,” as they call them in the business—instead of opening virgin fields.» —“Oil Profits Fund Future...
sassywood n.— «About 50 people in the village of Klay, northwestern Liberia, recently gathered to watch a man apply red-hot metal to the limbs of four youths accused of robbery. The man dipped a machete in a concoction of water, palm oil...
prairie whale n.—Gloss: a hog. Note: So-called because its fat can be used for things usually done with ambergris. «By the 1840s, whale oil’s dominance in lighting was under sustained attack. Lard oil, boiled from the fat of hogs, or...
Gulfie n.— «The war broke out at the peak of the tourist season, when tens of thousands of wealthy visitors from the Gulf were expected to enjoy high-spending holidays in Lebanon. Instead, those in the country at the time found themselves...
