knocking on the roof n.— «The IDF has made frequent use of what is known as “knocking on the roof”: Militants are warned by phone when a residential building used to store arms will be bombed, and told to vacate the premised...
bug bomb n.— «New York has become the first state in the nation to force the removal of insect foggers—often known as bug bombs—from store shelves and require the devices be operated only by certified pesticide professionals.» —“New...
bagel n.— «Burak’s dog Memphis, a beagle-basset hound cross (or a bagel, as they are called) and for whom the store is named—drags a blanket in his mouth on the hardwood floor.» —“James North comes in from the cold” by Jon...
rivet counter n.— «North End Train Center has some intense customers who Colley likes to call “rivet counters.” These are collectors who won’t buy an item unless it is absolutely correct and to perfect scale.» —“Small...
Hey, ho, let's go! Another newsletter from A Way with Words is here. We kick off the year-end "word of the year" season with an episode about them, in which we offer a few of our own candidates: "Joe the" (as in "Joe...
coffin n.— «Wangjing’s Wal-Mart has light-emitting diode lighting, or LEDs, that reduces the store’s energy consumption by 15%, motion sensors in low traffic areas and open-air freezers—known in industry parlance as “coffins”—with sliding...