teething
n.— «The Customs Union has a myriad of problems initially referred to as “teething,” but not any more. Three years on, some areas are yet to be fully smothered.» —“East Africa: Is EAC a Solution to the Problems in EA?” by Bobi Odiko in Kampala, Uganda East African Business Week Dec. 3, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
The words tough, through, and dough all end in O-U-G-H. So why don’t they rhyme? A lively new book addresses the many quirks of English by explaining the history of words and phrases. And: have you ever been in a situation where a group makes...
In the 15th century, the word respair meant “to have hope again.” Although this word fell out of use, it’s among dozens collected in a new book of soothing vocabulary for troubled times. Plus, baseball slang: If a batter...