vomit comet
n.— «A San Juan travel agent indelicately calls it the “vomit comet”—an allusion, I imagine, to the great number of babes in arms or inexperienced travelers aboard the planes. It was therefore with some misgiving that I booked a seat on the midnight economy flight from New York to San Juan.» —“All Aboard for the ‘Cattle Car’ ” by Victor Perera New York Times Jan. 24, 1971. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
National Book Award winner Barry Lopez had wise advice for young writers. First, read widely and follow your curiosity. Second, travel or learn a foreign language. And third, find out what you truly believe, because if you’re not writing from...
Mary Beth in Greenville, South Carolina, wonders: Why do we say four-oh-nine for the number 409 instead of four-zero-nine or four-aught-nine? What are the rules for saying either zero or oh or aught or ought to indicate that arithmetical symbol...