tocco
v.— «The nickname, pronounced like “taco,” is a combination of the words “took” and “hocked” and means taking something without permission—but not quite stealing. Sullivan said his father got the nickname by “toccoing” fruit from a local produce stand.» —“Same as he ever was, Justice Sullivan plans for retirement” by Matt Apuzzo in Hartford, Connecticut Boston Globe (Massachusetts) Apr. 12, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Daniel Mendelsohn is a widely acclaimed author, critic, classicist, and professor at Bard College. A few years ago, when he was teaching an undergraduate seminar on The Odyssey (Bookshop|Amazon) his 81-year-old father, Jay, decided to sit in on the...
It’s the ultimate road trip: A father and son retrace the journey of Odysseus and find a way to navigate their relationship. Plus, the story behind the phrase a flash in the pan: It has nothing to do with cooking or gold mining. Also, what’s a...