whisker
n.— «For example, to create “whiskers,” or the horizontal lines of discoloration that run across the thighs, Caitac made balloons that inflate and deflate, mimicking legs inside a pair of jeans, so employees can sand the denim by hand. For three-dimensional whiskers, or permanent folds in the denim, Caitac ordered a fast-hardening resin, which is ironed into the jeans and then baked in an oven.» —“Reborn in the U.S.A.” by Michael Barbaro in Los Angeles New York Times Sept. 26, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
We use the term Milky Way for that glowing arc across the sky. But how people picture it varies from culture to culture. In Sweden, that starry band goes by a name that means “Winter Street,” and in Hawaii, a term for the Milky Way...
The words tough, through, and dough all end in O-U-G-H. So why don’t they rhyme? A lively new book addresses the many quirks of English by explaining the history of words and phrases. And: have you ever been in a situation where a group makes...