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...
simmer dim n.— «At the moment the sun sets around 10.30 in the evening, and rises again about 3.30am. The five hours in between are a time of prolonged dusk, known in Shetland as the simmer dim. If the sky is clear then it remains light...
blood and thunder n.— «We hear about the horrors of fishnet burn, a fishscale pattern some skaters get when they fall down on the track while wearing fishnet stockings. I’ve also heard about a practice drill called “blood and...
knock and drag v. phr.— «Workers called and visited voters, telling them they could vote immediately. “It was a ‘knock and drag’ program,” Saenz said, concentrating on South San Antonio but also singling out historically...
migra n.— «“People were lured, they were herded by coyotes, hunted by the migras (slang for immigration officers), lured into traps, devoured by labor,” Santa Ana said. “They are beasts of burden, and we have to ferret them...
Afghanistanism n.— «For years, Americans went about their daily lives under the false impression that faraway places like Afghanistan didn’t matter. Newspapers even had a term for news stories that were irrelevant to local readers:...