wheeling n. 1. in the electricity industry, the transfer of power between utility companies, especially through the networks of one company on behalf of another. 2. the transfer of money between political organizations in order to skirt campaign funding laws. Editorial Note: The second sense appears to be specific to New Jersey. Etymological Note: Both senses are jargon versions of a more general meaning of wheeling ‘a turning aside or deviation.’ (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Oofless is an antiquated bit of British slang that describes someone temporarily short on cash. It’s from ooftisch, a Yiddish-derived term for “cash placed on the table,” from German auf Tisch. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
What’s up with ketchup? The shifting history and spelling of the name of this condiment. For centuries, ketchup was a fishy sauce originating in Asia—the tomatoes came only later! Plus, a new book shows what’s lost when a language dies: when there...