If someone is “poor as Joe’s turkey,” he’s impoverished. A caller raised in the South has heard that expression all his life, but wonders: Who was Joe, and what did his turkey have to do with anything? Things get clearer when...
ho-butt n.— «Wendy Coller, owner of Athletics Etc. on Independence Street, was present to sell Ho-Butt Athletics T-shirts. Ho-Butt is a local term of endearment that means “Hey buddy.” Although the term is unique to the coal region, it is...
ground-owner n.— «During the war in Iraq, young Army and Marine captains have become American viceroys, officers with large sectors to run and near-autonomy to do it. In military parlance, they are the “ground-owners.” In practice, they...
short sale n.— «At Selling Paradise Realty, a sign seeks customers with a free list of properties facing foreclosure and “short sales,” meaning the price is less than the owner owes the bank.» —“This Is the Sound of a Bubble...
marked to myth adj.— «For example, a financial asset traded on multiple exchanges might be considered a Level 1 market. At the other end of the spectrum, “Level 3,” no ready market exists to value assets or liabilities. A reporting unit...
bird and breakfast n.— «An owner may use land for purposes that are secondary to the primary use—wildlife management—if the secondary use is compatible with the primary use. For example, an owner may engage in wildlife management and also...