whippy
n.— «In Florida, back and neck strains are the most common personal-injury claim. They’re so common that attorneys have a nickname for them: “whippy’s.” That’s shorthand for whiplash suffered in, say, a rear-end collision.» —“Bringing suit in Florida? Break a leg” by David Barstow St. Petersburg Times (Florida) July 29, 1994. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
A magnificent new book celebrates the richness and diversity of 450 years of written and spoken English in what is now the United States. It’s called The People’s Tongue, and it’s a sumptuous collection of essays, letters, poems...
Ashley in Tallahassee, Florida, says some friends find it odd that she refers to her husband as Dad even when their daughter isn’t around. Is it weird to address your spouse that way? In some cultures, parents are addressed differently after...