babyhead n.— «The group trudges onward, scrambling over teetering scree—rocks first the size of oranges and then as big as volleyballs (called “babyheads” in climbing lingo).» —“Former Texas lawmaker heads for the hills...
AQIz n.— «Top U.S. commanders are closely watching the moves of al-Qaida in Iraq, puzzling about what seems to be a counterproductive strategy of massive bombings. Spectacular attacks across the country are deepening the rifts within the...
jingle mail n.— «Kosciuszko said the mortgage insurance industry coined the term “jingle mail” because homeowners whose mortgages were worth far more than their homes literally mailed their house keys in to lenders...
Chattaboogie n.— «When my friends moved to Tennessee from Los Angeles a decade ago, they believed they were being exiled. Recently, one of them was offered a dream job elsewhere and decided to turn it down in order to stay in...
blue top n.— «It did issue a thinly detailed “blue top”—Pentagon slang for a press release—which says how much the budget request is.» —“DOD denies reporters budget prep time” by Pamela Hess Monsters and...
bus therapy n.— «“I’m in for a protracted period of ‘bus therapy,’” Mr. Lehman says. That’s jail talk for a constant shuffling from one location to another.» —“Perhaps His Next Book Should Be: ‘Wardens I’ve Known and...