steppable n.— «In many instances, consumers are a step ahead of the market. Elaine Morgan, 64, said she was researching drought-resistant plants and “steppables,” low ground cover which requires less maintenance and water than grass but can stand...
whipsaw v.— «For example, Ford plans to close 16 plants by 2008. Whether or not the company keeps a plant open often depends on whether a union local will accept concessions, and the company routinely pits workers at one plant against another. This...
ice cream plant n.— «There are certain ice cream plants, as we like to call them, that camels focus on and they probably have the ability to possibly eliminate some of the species from particular areas.» —“The World Today; Amorous camels threaten...
cybridization n.— «An experimental method called cybridization transfers a gene for sterility into seedy varieties, rendering them seedless more efficiently than the shotgun approach used in irradiation.» —“Seedless Fruits Make Others Needless” by...
hot work n.— «The January 2006 explosion at the Bethune Point Wastewater Treatment Plant might not have happened if the city had a safety program specifying when “hot work,” using flames such as welding or torch cutting, could be done, according to...
plant the flag v. phr.— «With an average of nearly 12 movies opening every week, claiming prime big-screen real estate as far in advance as possible is crucial.…“We had to ask ourselves whether it made sense to open against another comedy—albeit...