reset n.— «The three anchors will be judged not only on ratings but also on content and their ability to perform on the spot. One particularly tricky moment for rookie anchors to master: bringing the newscast back from a commercial or a...
wet cell n.— «Capt. Mike Sanders, Bannock County Sheriff’s Office: “We refer to them as wet cells, because they have a sink and a toilet; there’s a common shower, which is regulated; there’s constitutional requirements, like a...
shock probation n.— «Unswayed, Molea ordered Stroud to serve weekends in the Putnam County jail for two months beginning Friday, a process known as shock probation, as part of a sentence of five years of probation.» —“Ex-court...
shrubbing n.— «A Kenyan architect who stalked and then threatened to rape an American volunteer was sentenced to flogging—a common form of punishment for petty offenders in Botswana—after he pleaded guilty to common nuisance charges in a...
buy bust n.— «At the time of the Aug. 11, 2005, bust, members of the Marin Major Crimes Task Force already had purchased 400 pills from Marquez. They arranged to buy 2,000 pills for $10,000 in a transaction known to investigators as the...
cracker n.— «The Times’ Maureen Dowd is famous for her crackers. (A “cracker,” in city-room speak, is the final sentence in an essay of fewer than 1,000 words.)» —“Learning From The Good Stuff” by James J...