take a whack at

take a whack at (third-person singular simple present takes a whack at, present participle taking a whack at, simple past took a whack at, past participle taken a whack at)

takes a whack at (present singular third-person)
taking a whack at (participle present)
took a whack at (past)
taken a whack at (participle past)

(US, slang, idiomatic) To try or attempt to do something.


clear-channel

(US, radio) Of or relating to those AM radio stations having the highest level of protection from interference from other stations, particularly from nighttime skywave signals.


UCR

The UCR report says that about 77% of reported murders in 2020 were committed with a gun, up from 74% in 2019. There is no federal database of gun sales, but other independent surveys have found that gun sales have soared during the Covid-19 pandemic.

2021 September 27, Priya Krishnakumar, “Murders rose sharply in 2020 but data is lacking across much of the country”, in CNN:

Uniform Crime Reports
w:Uniform Crime Reports

(US, law enforcement) Initialism of Uniform Crime Reports.


NIBRS

The FBI began publishing national quarterly crime reports last year, but has not done so for the first two quarters of 2021, stating that they require at least 60% of agencies to submit NIBRS data in order to publish quarterly data.

w:National Incident-Based Reporting System

(US, law enforcement) Initialism of National Incident-Based Reporting System.


prior authorization

“I once had to do a prior auth for United for a glass bottle,” a medical resident wrote. “The compounded intranasal midazolam was covered, but the glass bottle it came in was not.”

2024 December 6, Samantha Cole, “Moderators Across Social Media Struggle to Contain Celebrations of UnitedHealthcare CEO’s Assassination”, in 404 Media:

(US, healthcare) A requirement by a health insurance companies that patients obtain approval before receiving certain medical services, procedures, or medications.


get under it

en-verb

get under it (third-person singular simple present gets under it, present participle getting under it, simple past got under it, past participle gotten under it)

gets under it (present singular third-person)
getting under it (participle present)
got under it (past)
gotten under it (participle past)

(slang, trucking, US) To sharply steer the other direction (e.g. to switch from right to left) when backing up in order to align a truck straight on with a loading dock.


finance charge

(US, law, banking, finance) Any fee representing the cost of credit, or the cost of borrowing, expressed as interest accrued on, and fees charged for, on some forms of credit.


pool diaper

From pool + diaper, and so-called because the diaper is made to be worn in the pool.

Keep bags handy and already stocked with essentials for places you frequent. For instance you may prepare a few specific bags that contain some of the following items: [...] The pool—swimsuits, towels, sunscreen, book to read, sun-glasses, pool and sand toys, hat, change of clothes for kids, goggles, water wings, pool diapers, etc.

2007, Lisa Whelchel, Taking Care of the Me in Mommy: Becoming a Better Mom: Spirit, Body and Soul, Thomas Nelson, →ISBN, page 169:

"Alex, you're going swimming," I kept repeating well into the locker room. He must have wondered why [a] T-shirt, denim shorts, diaper, and sandals were swept away right here in the middle of the day, and replaced with a pool diaper and flowered shorts with a string in front.

2015, Jeff Stimpson, Alex: The Fathering of a Preemie, Chicago Review Press, →ISBN, page 251:

The water temperature breaks 85 by the end of June and by the end of July gets up in the 90s, so there's little chance of Collin getting cold. And since he's still in diapers and not mobile enough for pool diapers, we just strip him down and put him in naked. Turns out the kid loves to skinny dip, so right off the bat he's just like his dad.

2020, Vincent Capodicci, Jr., The Old Dad, Dorrance Publishing, →ISBN, page 113:

(Canada, US, rare) Synonym of swim diaper.


swimming diaper

en-noun

swimming diaper (plural swimming diapers)

From swimming + diaper, and so-called because the diaper is made for swimming.

The highlight of our trip was to be our son's first visit to the Atlantic Ocean. We took our time preparing for our afternoon out, dressing the baby in a swimming diaper and swimsuit; packing up towels, pail, shovel, hats and sunglasses; slathering on sunblock. We drove down to a quiet patch of beach where other sunbathers wouldn't scare our son or accidentally kick sand in his face.

2006, Rebecca Martorella, Tales from the Mom Front: The Misadventures of a First-Time Mom, iUniverse, →ISBN:

"What about the swimming diapers?"
Swimming diapers? There were special diapers for swimming?
"She has on her regular diaper," he answered, knowing he'd done something wrong. "What's the difference?"
Charlotte took Lily from him and held her up out of the water to show a very wet, very saggy diaper. "This. If she'd had on a swimming diaper, it wouldn't absorb all the water and wouldn't be sagging practically to her ankles."

2012, Jules Bennett, Whatever the Price, Harlequin, →ISBN, page 67:

Alyssa sat with Rachel as she napped, watching Heidy and Merrick enjoying the water. Evan joined them forty-five minutes later. When Rachel woke, Alyssa put on her bathing suit and swimming diaper. She was taking her into the wave pool, where the group would spend the rest of the afternoon, when Reminder came running toward the group yelling.

2023, Angela Langlois, What The Three Of Them Knew, FriesenPress, →ISBN, page 103:


why am I not surprised

(colloquial, chiefly Canada, US) Expressing resignation in the face of a bad outcome that was plausible or inevitable.


diaper service

(Canada, US) A commercial service that supplies clean cloth diapers to parents and collects soiled ones for laundering (washing) and reuse.


C-man

(US, slang) A man who works for customs.


She-She-She Camp

She-She-She Camp (plural She-She-She Camps)

(US, historical, slang) A camp for unemployed women organized in the United States as a counterpart to the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) programs designed for unemployed men.


tarnally

(US, slang, euphemistic) damned (as an intensifier)


thinclad

thin + clad, in reference to the sleeveless shirts and shorts they wear.


diaper bank

From diaper + bank (“a safe and guaranteed place of storage for, and retrieval of, important items or goods”). First attested 3 February 1962 (see quotations) in an article concerning an early diaper bank founded in Pinellas County, Florida, in the United States in August 1960.

compound

These are the members of the Fleet Reserve Auxiliary Unit 123, who for more than 18 months have maintained a diaper bank for the local health clinic. The project began in August, 1960.

1962 February 3, Fran Brush, “A Very Important 'Bank': Their Project Is Pinned On Diapers”, in St. Petersburg Times, page 10-B:

The club maintains a Diaper Bank^([sic]) for Newborn Babies, and provides hand knitted sweaters and other clothing for needy youngsters. Among their other projects are camperships to the Salvation Army and the YMCA, and Thanksgiving and Christmas gift certificates for the needy.

1975 November 11, “Fashions, Food And Cards”, in Women Morning Journal, Daytona Beach Morning Journal, page 3A:

Because of community need, a clothing bank and a formula/diaper bank was established. A Children's Book Corner (book store) was also established. A summer youth activity program was begun which included soccer.

1998 March 12, “Family Link Celebrates Five Years Of Service”, in San Miguel Basin Forum, page 4:

The main purpose of a diaper bank is to provide underserved families with free diapers; but many take this a step further by advocating on behalf of these families. Most diaper banks rely on donated diapers to stock our shelves, so we encourage supporters to get involved by hosting diaper drives on our behalf.

2022 April 7, Megan Deaton, “How Diaper Banks Help Our Neighbors Meet Their Basic Needs”, in Forbes:

Since its inception, TSTF has distributed more than 1.4 million books to families who need them, almost 200,000 through diaper banks alone. More than thirteen hundred literacy-themed parks have been launched.

2024, Bill Clinton, Citizen: My Life After the White House, Penguin Random House, →ISBN, page 321:

(Canada, US) A charitable institution that distributes diapers to those without monetary or convenient access to it.


Weather Underground

(US, historical) A far-left Marxist militant organization active from 1969 to 1977.


coonjine

(US, historical) A kind of rhythmic shuffling dance performed by, or imitating the characteristic movements of, deckhands on riverboats.


coonjine

en-verb

coonjine (third-person singular simple present coonjines, present participle coonjining, simple past and past participle coonjined)

coonjines (present singular third-person)
coonjining (participle present)
coonjined (participle past)
coonjined (past)

(US, historical) To perform such a dance.


pedestrian underpass

en-noun

pedestrian underpass (plural pedestrian underpasses)

(US) Synonym of subway (“an underground walkway, a tunnel for pedestrians”)


kiddie tax

kiddie tax (countable and uncountable, plural kiddie taxes)

(US, finance) The taxing of certain unearned income of a child at the parent's marginal rate, regardless of whether the child can be claimed as a dependent on the parent's tax return.


Kansas Territory

(US, historical) An organized incorporated territory of that existed from 1854 to 1861.


disposable diaper

disposable diaper (plural disposable diapers)

(Canada, US) A diaper that is disposable; a single-use diaper or paper diaper, as opposed to a cloth one. (This entry is a translation hub.)


star packer

star packers (plural)
starpacker (alternative)

(US, slang, dated) A sheriff in the Wild West.


brakie

(US, rail transport, colloquial) A brakeman.


calico beans

(US) A dish similar to cowboy beans, made with multiple different types of bean.


Naptown

Arrow pledge Kathleen Berhman is wearing a siyma nu pin from Naptown.

1936, “In Indianapolis”, in The Bored Walk, volume 7, Indiana University, page 13:

The same friends who teased me about being a kept man also delighted in pointing out the provincial reputation of the city where I’d be moving. Indianapolis? they asked. Some of them even referred to it as “Naptown.”

2001 October 25, Don Gomes, “I Did It Her Way”, in Indianapolis Monthly, volume 25, number 2, Emmis Communications, →ISSN, page 78:

2022 May 23, David Humphrey, Indianapolis: The City Known as Naptown, Fonthill Media LLc, →ISBN:

(US) Nickname for the city of Indianapolis, Indiana


Albany beef

(US, humorous, archaic) The flesh of the sturgeon.


Alford doctrine

(US, law) The doctrine allowing the use of the Alford plea.


lead paragraph

(US, journalism) Synonym of lead (“the introductory paragraph or paragraphs of a newspaper, or a news or other type of article”)


black forest cake

black forest cake (plural black forest cakes)

Black Forest cake
Black Forest cake#English

(US) Alternative form of Black Forest cake


en-proper-noun

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints#English

(US, religion, Christianity) Alternative form of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints


grade-grub

en-verb

grade-grub (third-person singular simple present grade-grubs, present participle grade-grubbing, simple past and past participle grade-grubbed)

grade-grubs (present singular third-person)
grade-grubbing (participle present)
grade-grubbed (participle past)
grade-grubbed (past)
grade grub (alternative)

(intransitive, US, university slang, derogatory) To engage in grade grubbing.


diaper check

(Canada, US) The action of inspecting a baby or young child's diaper to see if it is wet or soiled.


terry diaper

(Canada, US, uncommon) Synonym of terry nappy (“a makeshift cloth nappy folded from a large piece of square or rectangular absorbent fabric such as terry (coarse cotton), which is held in place by a diaper pin or other fastener”).


diaper library

en-noun

diaper library (plural diaper libraries)

From diaper + library (“an institution that lends out its goods for use by the public or a community”).

compound

(Canada, US, rare) Synonym of nappy service (“a service that rents out cloth diapers”).


diaper pod

(Canada, US) A cube-shaped diaper bag, typically waterproof (a wet bag), intended for storing clean cloth diapers and other cloth products, like diaper inserts.


zoogler

In New England a 'zoogler' is a loader of sleds used to skid logs.

1945, The Southern Lumberman, volume 171, page 37:

[…] zoogler was responsible for taking care of it, following the load, and spooling the haul-back line […]

1982, Lynwood Carranco, Redwood Lumber Industry, page 69:

(US) A worker who assists in loading and unloading logs or skidding with a dray.


I-Day

(US, air force) Abbreviation of in-processing day.


hoopie

Fact is, he worked more on our car than we did on the farm; and before the week was up, that old hoopie of ours was in the finest state of repair it'd ever been — by a damn sight, too, I mean.

1956 September, Dillon Anderson, “The Meanest Man in Washington County”, in The Atlantic, Washington, D.C.: The Atlantic Monthly Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2025-01-12:

(US, dialectal, dated) An old, worn-out car.


2 man

(chiefly US, Internet slang) Synonym of double date.


Blue Hen's Chicken

en-noun

Blue Hen's Chicken (plural Blue Hen's Chickens)


The H-1B has become a flashpoint in the immigration debate and a target for Trump, particularly over use of the visa by outsourcers, which rake in the lion’s share of H-1Bs, mostly for bachelor’s degree holders.

2018 December 7, Associated Press, “Trump eyes H-1B visa rule change favoring advanced degree holders”, in New York Post:

(US, law) A visa granted to foreign workers that allows them to be hired by American companies for specialty occupations.


lay down on

en-verb

lay down on (third-person singular simple present lays down on, present participle laying down on, simple past and past participle laid down on)

lays down on (present singular third-person)
laying down on (participle present)
laid down on (participle past)
laid down on (past)

He said he'd do it, but he laid down on the mission.

I can't believe she would lay down on us.

(slang, US) To fail in a responsibility or duty to (a person); to abandon (a post).


imported cabbage worm

en-noun

imported cabbage worm (plural imported cabbage worms)

(US) The caterpillar of the cabbage white butterfly.


en-verb

get<,,got,gotten:got> glad in the same pants one got mad in

get glad in the same pants one got mad in (third-person singular simple present gets glad in the same pants one got mad in, present participle getting glad in the same pants one got mad in, simple past got glad in the same pants one got mad in, past participle gotten glad in the same pants one got mad in or got glad in the same pants one got mad in)

get glad in the same britches one got mad in

(US, colloquial, chiefly imperative) To get over a fit of temper; to stop being angry and regain one's composure.


Old School

Local politicians assume various appellations, such as New School and Old School Democrats, Snyderites, Clintonians, and many others, mostly derived from the name or principles of some popular demagogue.

1816, “an Old Scene Painter” [pseudonym], The Emigrant’s Guide; or, A Picture of America: […], London: […] W[illiam] Clowes, […] for W[illiam] Simpkin and R[ichard] Marshall, […], →OCLC, footnote *, page 17:

(idiomatic, US, Christianity, politics) Alternative letter-case form of old school (“having conservative or traditional views on Christianity or politics”)


gas cap

(US, automotive) The cap that closes a gas tank and may be opened to refill it.


demetrification

The act of removing/hiding metrics (e.g. "like" count, view count, repost count) on social media websites.

Voluntarily by the viewer as to decrease a website's addictiveness.

(informal) The modifying of a device intended to display metric units to instead display American customary units.

The process of moving away from the metric system.


briggle

briggle (third-person singular simple present briggles, present participle briggling, simple past and past participle briggled)

briggles (present singular third-person)
briggling (participle present)
briggled (participle past)
briggled (past)

Some of the boys called it “a h—l of a time.” Such “briggling about” was almost unpardonable.

1886, Wm. Kepler, chapter XVII, in History of the three months' and three years' service from April 16th, 1861, to June 22d, 1864, of the Fourth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the war for the Union, Cleveland, Ohio: Leader Printing Company, page 122:

I let him try his hand at life insurance, after he'd failed at about everything else. Well, in the course of three weeks of briggling, he landed one man for a thousand dollars;

1906 November 25, James Ball Naylor, “From Jim to Jack: Letters to an Old-Time Schoolmate”, in The Ohio Magazine, volume 1, number 5, page 428, column 1:

“Briggled all day,” is an entry found occasionally in Dad’s diary. Or, “Briggled around.” Usually it was in reference to the work he had done that day, but sometimes an entry indicated that one of us kids briggled. It meant that work was done on various jobs with no major accomplishment.

2002, Jim Sargent, Too Poor to Move But Always Rich: A Century on Montana Land, Morris Publishing, →ISBN, page 69:

(intransitive, US, dialectal, rare) To potter around; friggle; fiddle.


hortatory memorandum

en-noun

hortatory memorandum (plural hortatory memoranda)

(US, government) A statement issued by the president of the United States, encouraging or urging action on an issue of public policy, that is directed to executive agencies.


Pistolvania

Blend of pistol (“handgun”) + Pennsylvania, a reference to the state's high gun violence statistics.


Angel City

(US, colloquial) Los Angeles, California.


Indigenous Peoples' Day

First Observed in 1990, by George W. Bush.

And so in Houma, La., people from across the state will gather to honor and celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day for the first time.

2019 October 14, Leila Fadel, “Columbus Day Or Indigenous Peoples' Day?”, in NPR:

(US, holiday, neologism) The second Monday in October, a holiday in the United States that honors the Indigenous peoples of the Americas and celebrates their history and culture: In many states and other localities, the holiday is variously observed in place of Columbus Day or along with it.


domestic dependent nation

Compound of domestic + dependent + nation. Coined in 1831, by Chief Justice John Marshall in the 1831 Supreme Court case Cherokee Nation v. Georgia.

compound+

Although tribes are recognized as having inherent sovereignty, they are recognized as being ‘domestic dependent nations.’

(Can we date this quote?), “General Principles of Federal Indian Law”, in University OF Alaska Fairbanks:

(US, politics, government) A term used to describe the relationship between the United States and Native American tribes.


frigtard

(Canada, US, derogatory, slang, vulgar, offensive) An extraordinarily stupid person.


SECDEF

United States Secretary of Defense
w:United States Secretary of Defense

(US, military) Abbreviation of United States Secretary of Defense.


FORSCOM

United States Army Forces Command
w:United States Army Forces Command

(US, military) Abbreviation of United States Army Forces Command.


condo building

(US, Canada, Philippines) Synonym of condominium (“a building or complex of buildings that provides multiple residential units”)


age in place

en-verb

age in place (third-person singular simple present ages in place, present participle aging in place or ageing in place, simple past and past participle aged in place)

ages in place (present singular third-person)
aging in place (participle present)
ageing in place (participle present)
aged in place (participle past)
aged in place (past)

(US) To continue to reside in one's own home and community safely, independently and comfortably.


draft lottery

(US, historical) Any of the lotteries by which US residents were drafted into military service during World War II and the Vietnam War and would be drafted were a draft reinstituted under current law.

(US, sports) A lottery process that determines the order in which members of a professional sports league can select eligible players, such as

(US, basketball) The lottery process that determines the order in which in the teams in the National Basketball Association that did not reach the playoffs in the preceding year select eligible players.


Colony and Dominion of Virginia

the Colony and Dominion of Virginia (canonical)

(US, historical) An English colony in North America that existed from 1607 until the American Revolution.


border czar

The newly-appointed border czar is expected to heavily curtail illegal immigration.

Biden in 2021 selected Harris to lead the administration’s efforts to address the root causes of migration, a matter that was top of mind when Democrats entered the White House that year. He did not, however, formally give Harris the title of “border czar.”

2024 July 24, Mychael Schnell, “House GOP approves resolution condemning Harris as ‘border czar’”, in The Hill, →ISSN:

President-elect Donald J. Trump said late Sunday that he had named Thomas D. Homan, a senior immigration official in his last administration, as the “border czar” in charge of the nation’s borders and its maritime and aviation security.

2024 November 11, Mike Ives, “Trump Names Thomas Homan ‘Border Czar’ With a Wide Portfolio”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

(US, politics) An official (czar) who has been appointed to oversee borders and immigration.


make a Virginia fence

make a Virginia fence (third-person singular simple present makes a Virginia fence, present participle making a Virginia fence, simple past and past participle made a Virginia fence)

makes a Virginia fence (present singular third-person)
making a Virginia fence (participle present)
made a Virginia fence (participle past)
made a Virginia fence (past)

(US, idiomatic) To walk in a unstable manner due to being intoxicated.


milk mustache

(US) Alternative spelling of milk moustache


duck-squeezer

Then even the most passionate tree-huggers and duck-squeezers admitted that she was right. City life was becoming unsafe with the roving packs.

2008, John Mogan, Sacha, Max, and the Animals (page 128)

(Canada, US, slang, derogatory) Synonym of ecofreak


prime rate

(US) The interest rate that large commercial banks charge on loans to customers with a high credit rating, i.e. those seen as at low risk of default.


odelay

(US, colloquial) Expressing approval or encouragement.


awesomitude

2018, Bret Wells, What Kind of God?: Reading the Bible with a Missional Church
In this way, our actions are in response to our calling, and thus originate not in our own awesomeness but in the Divine Awesomitude.

(Canada, US, slang) The quality of being awesome; excellence.


Chocolate City

From chocolate + city, in reference to the large African American population. Popularized in the 1970s and by the 1975 funk album Chocolate City by Parliament.

Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.#English

(US, informal, Washington, D.C.) A nickname for Washington, D.C.

(US, informal) A nickname for a city with a predominantly African American population.


chocolate city

en-noun

chocolate city (plural chocolate cities)

There's a lot of chocolate cities around / We got Newark, we got Gary / Someone told me we got L.A. / And we're working on Atlanta / But you're the capital C.C.

1975, “Chocolate City”, in Chocolate City, performed by George Clinton of the band Parliament:

"This city will be chocolate at the end of the day. This city will be a majority African American city. It's the way God wants it to be. You can't have New Orleans no other way; it wouldn't be New Orleans." … It's part of our culture to talk about chocolate cities.

2006 January 20, Ray Nagin, Chocolate City speech:

(US, informal) A city with a predominantly African American population.


student-athlete

student-athletes (plural)
student athlete (alternative)

(US, Canada, education) A student who participates in a competitive sport while also attending school.


protransit

en-adj

protransit (comparative more protransit, superlative most protransit)

more protransit (comparative)
most protransit (superlative)


Montco

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County

(US, slang) Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.


patroonry

(US, historical) Land ownership by patroons.