We’ve talked before about dog rescue groups’ convention of naming litters of puppies according to a theme. Any idea why a recent litter of pups included Ramp, Slingshot, Kicker, and Flipper? They were all named for terms involved in pinball. This is...
If you’re nibbling on slippery Jims or sipping sweet soup, chances are you’re in the Badger State. It’s the language of Wisconsin — explained at last. Also, the famous abolitionist whose name became an exclamation, and how to respond if someone...
cutting n.— «To prepare for their performance in the jump event at the all-star tournament, Thees said the women are trying to improve their jump distances by practicing more challenging jump maneuvers. When the boat pulls a skier toward the jump...
lob bomb n.— «The military refers to it as an IRAM. I think it’s “improvised rocket-assisted mortar” or something—some ridiculous term like that. But we refer to it as a “lob bomb,” because they use a truck and a ramp-type device to just drive up...
mannyhose n.— «Several online sites for outdoorsmen sport tips about how to use pantyhose in the great outdoors. In fact, one couild start calling it “mannyhose,” which was once a term for pantyhose made by G. Lieberman and Sons, a company that...
toilet to tap n.— «Atwater plans to ramp up efforts to recycle wastewater for potable use, as Orange County has already done. (This process is sometimes disparagingly referred to as “toilet to tap.” In fact, it produces water so pure that...
