tombstoning n. 1. the use of the names and data of dead persons to commit fraud. 2. In the U.K., the pastime of leaping from heights into bodies of water. Editorial Note: There are many figurative uses of tombstone, most generally meaning an object takes on the shape or appearance of a tombstone, such as in journalism, where tombstoned headlines are similarly sized article headings published next to each other, which can cause confusion as to where one line ends and another ends. Tombstone ads are similar-looking legal and financial announcements published together. In electronics, to tombstone means to improperly solder components to a circuit board so that the components stand up incorrectly. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Astronauts returning from space say they experience what’s called the overview effect, a new understanding of the fragility of our planet and our need to reflect on what humans all share as a species. A book about the end of the universe...
Lee in Charleston, South Carolina, remembers her dad used to refer to a blue patch of sky after a rain as kitten’s britches. Similar terms include Dutchman’s trousers, old woman’s apron, and cat’s vest, all suggesting that...