coup de glotte n.— «Actually, Mr. Johnson explained, the trick at the heart of ventriloquism isn’t “throwing” the voice but “treating” it. Thanks to a throat-muscle manipulation that opera singers call a coup de glotte, the amplitude of...
boo word n.— «Donald Nelson warned that Hitler’s hustlers are baiting the chumps with trick words, whispering about our industry being “sovietized,” the biggest boo word of the bunch.» —“Winchell on...
gadget play n.— «More commonly referred to as trick or gadget plays, Colbert used these halfback passes, double passes and reverses with surprising aplomb—and effectiveness.» —“Colbert Takes BC’s ‘Special’ Offense...
hump strap n.— «The second is a trick I use to make moving furniture easier on your back. Fold your 25-foot extension cord into fourths…, creating a 6-foot “hump strap.” This allows you to pick up and move heavy objects, like this...
nuit Américaine n.— «The name “Day for Night” comes from a beloved François Truffaut film. But it’s the translated, English-language title. The film’s original title, “La Nuit Américaine,” is the French term for a...
trick bag n.— «Because there are so many confidential informants and sex offenders, the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) does not allow Pre-Sentence Reports to be in a convict’s possession. Inmates throughout the BOP suffer boot-parties on an...