cross-wires

The collimator consists of a convex lens at the end of a tube, with a vertical slit, or a pair of cross-wires, in the focus; the telescope is a common telescope with a positive eye-piece, and a pair of cross-wires in the focus of the eyepiece.

1896, Harry Forbes Witherby, Light from the Land of the Sphinx, page 157:

This is so adjusted that the image of the cross-wires C formed by reflection at the surface of the glass plate coincides with the cross-wires themselves without parallax.

1936, Ganesh Bhaskar Deodhar, Introduction to Optics, page 152:

As the telescope is swung round, the slit image for each wavelength is brought into coincidence with the cross-wires.

1957, Richard Samuel Longhurst, Geometrical and Physical Optics, page 78:

A small telescope, having a magnifying power of about seventy diameters, with cross-wires fixed in its eyepiece, is firmly fixed with adjusting screws to the back of the cell, and pointed through the hole in the cell and mirror towards the focus of the mirror, where the photo-plate is fixed.

2010, Isaac Roberts, Photographs of Stars, Star-Clusters and Nebulae, page 27:


crossed wires

Another common pattern you might see in yourself as you use the cycle is “crossed wires.” If you were raised by parents who weren't aware of their own feelings, they probably weren't accurate in recognizing yours. As a consequence, you may not have received all the direct and indirect messages you needed in order to know the difference between, for instance, feeling hungry and tired, or feeling lonely and sad.

1997, Laurel Mellin, The Solution: 6 Winning Ways to Permanent Weight Loss, page 165:

There are bound to be crossed wires and unforeseen problems, so prepare for them.

2001, Joan Peters, Not Your Mother's Life, page 238:

The trouble for those who are still young when parents die is that it makes this process much more difficult. Young children are especially at risk from these kind of 'crossed wires'.

2013, Rebecca Abrams, When Parents Die: Learning to Live with the Loss of a Parent, page 112:

getting one's wires crossed
get one's wires crossed

A mixup or confusion that results from getting one's wires crossed.


Sherden

From Egyptian šrdn, šꜣrdꜣnꜣ. Possibly cognate to Latin sardus from a pre-Roman substrate language *sard, *shard.

(historical) A Sea Peoples tribe of the late Bronze Age.


cross wires

en-verb

cross wires (third-person singular simple present crosses wires, present participle crossing wires, simple past and past participle crossed wires)

crosses wires (present singular third-person)
crossing wires (participle present)
crossed wires (participle past)
crossed wires (past)

From the way two electrical wires that cross can create a short circuit.

After Diodorus, Josephus († ca. A.D. 95) is our chief source of information about the Nabataeans, but Josephus was interested in them only as they crossed wires with the Hebrews.

1949, Philip Khuri Hitti, History of the Arabs, page 68:

While AFSA demands justice, we cannot tolerate or sit quietly back and watch colleagues being targeted, secretly investigated, discredited and financially abused because they crossed wires with IG staff.

1993, United States, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Governmental Affairs, The Integrity and Effectiveness of the Offices of Inspector General, page 16:

For many poets such a compulsion might remain unfocused, a theme that inadvertently crosses wires and brings forth occasional sparks.

1996, Kevin Stein, Private Poets, Worldly Acts, page 73:

Bea's sparky and tough, but crosses wires.

2007, The New Quarterly - Issues 104-107, page 55:

To cause difficulty; to interact in a way that generates conflict.


two bald men fighting over a comb

en-noun

two bald men fighting over a comb pl (plural only)

Two people disputing the ownership of something that is of no use to either of them.


Seeley's pigs

From the surname, Seeley, of a member of parliament who called attention in the House of Commons to the waste of pig iron in the dockyards.

(UK, slang, obsolete) Unused blocks of iron kept in government dockyards.


Gyalrong

The speakers of the Gyalrong language, inhabiting the southern part of Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan, China.


geomoroi

(historical) Alternative form of geomori


gamoroi

From Ancient Greek Γαμόροι (Gamóroi). Compare the cognate Γεωμόροι (Geōmóroi) for more.


geomori

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Γεωμόροι (Geōmóroi), ultimately from γεω- (geō-, “earth”) + μέρος (méros, “part, share, portion”), whence the latter comes from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mer- (“to assign, allot”). Doublet of gamoroi.

der

(historical) class of oligarchic landowners descending from the first Corinthian settlers who in 733 BC, according to the chronology of Thucydides, had founded Syracuse


Itza

A Mayan ethnic group native to the Péten region of northern Guatemala and parts of Belize.


Istvaeones

(historical) A Germanic group of tribes living near the banks of the Rhine during the Roman Empire and reportedly sharing a common culture and origin.


Rajbongshi

An ethnic group inhabiting parts of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.


totchos

Basic bar standards like quesadillas, sliders, Caesar salad, chicken fingers, hummus and YAY! They've got totchos!

2008 ·, Cindy Anderson, Happy Hour Guidebook -- Portland 2009, page 39:

These kicked-up tots (such as Tater Tots) nachos, a.k.a. totchos, are my homage to our Sunday night nacho feasts. Serve the braised steak over the totchos, or you can even skip the tots and use this meat in tacos, burritos, classic nachos, or add a couple more cans of tomatoes (or some beef stock) and a can or two of pinto or black beans for a hearty ropa vieja stew.

“Totchos!” Turbo was howling and reaching before the plate hit the table, and the race was on. Turbo and D-Tay, both now aged ten in spirit, grabbed and shoveled at a plate full of Newberry's specialty, a heaping helping of tater tots laced with ground beef, cheese, tomatoes, and salsa.

2020, Antony L. Saragas, Once Upon a Rhyme:

Nachos made with tater tots instead of tortilla chips.


effendiyah

(historical) An urban middle class in the Ottoman Arab world.


board bags

(Australia) Synonym of baggies (“baggy shorts worn by surfers”)


Armstrong's axioms

Developed by William W. Armstrong in a 1974 paper.

functional dependencies
functional dependency

(databases) A set of references (or, more precisely, inference rules) used to infer all the functional dependencies on a relational database.


qedoshim

Alternative form of kedoshim (“the victims of the Holocaust”)


kedoshim

From Hebrew קדושים (“holy ones; saints and martyrs”).


lashins

[…] potatoes, bacon, cabbage, and lashins of whiskey, […]

1864, William Evans Burton, The Cyclopædia of Wit and Humor, page 603:

[…] and gave him a rousin' wake into the bargain, with lashins of whiskey, stout beer, and ale; […]

1868, William Carleton, Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry, volume 1, page 10:

Archaic form of lashings (“lots; a great amount”).


commanding heights

Coined by Soviet political leader Vladimir Lenin.

coin

commanding heights of the economy#English

(Marxism) Clipping of commanding heights of the economy: Certain strategically important sectors of the economy such as public utilities and natural resources.


O'Brien potatoes

potatoes O'Brien
potatoes O'Brien#English


potatoes O'Brien

(cooking) A dish of pan-fried potatoes with red and green bell peppers.


death acids

(organic chemistry) A group of oxylipin phytoalexins found in fungally infected maize, derived from the cyclization of fatty acids oxidized by 9-lipoxygenase and allene oxide synthase enzymes.


Quimbaya

(historical) A pre-Columbian culture of Colombia, noted for their detailed work in gold and tumbaga.


Quitu

(historical) A group of pre-Columbian indigenous peoples in Ecuador who founded Quito.


Heiltsuk

An indigenous people of the Central Coast region in British Columbia, centred on the island community of Bella Bella.


long-johns

Engineers would be isolated as if on moon, wear long-johns or spacesuits, and eat dehydrated food, but would have radio communications for receiving instructions and equipment to record physical condition continuously during test.

1967, Astronautics and Aeronautics, 1966: Chronology on Science, Technology, and Policy, page 60:

Another Michigan winter is almost here. But this year you can fight the cold and show your maize-and-blue colors in University of Michigan flannel long-johns.

1978 September, “It’s A Long Winter... How About Some Long-Johns?”, in The Michigan Alumnus, Ann Arbor, Mich.: the Alumni Association of The University of Michigan, page 23:

For the runner was fully dressed and it was the rider who was stripped to the waist, clad in white long-johns and black leather moccasins.

1986, Tom McNab, The Fast Men, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 12:

Josie was the only Springett who did not wear long-johns in winter.

1989, Marion Woodson, Mid’s Summer …the Horse Race, →ISBN, page 133:

Under the salopettes you can wear long-johns, or I use a pair of track-suit bottoms if it is cold.

1989, Konrad Bartelski, Successful Skiing, Sackville Books Ltd, →ISBN, page 71:


running powers

No wonder, then, that against a background of surging aggressive prosperity, South Wales built up during the last half of the nineteenth century a local railway system of great density and complexity, in which almost every company competed with every other in its area, and in which working agreements, running powers and strategic junctions ran riot across the railway map.

1939 September, D. S. Barrie, “The Railways of South Wales”, in Railway Magazine, page 158:

This was done, and in many cases still is done by the main-line railway groups, through the exercise of running powers, which on application to Parliament by the company using them have been granted for the express purpose of affording this access without the necessity for building independent tracks. In other cases, such running powers have been granted without recourse to Parliament, by voluntary agreement between the parties.

1940 May, “The Why and the Wherefore: Running Powers”, in Railway Magazine, page 318:

(rail transport, UK) Permission given in an agreement allowing one railway company to run trains over certain tracks belonging to another railway company.


Kaskaskia

An indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, part of the Illiniwek Confederation.


Kikatsik

A subgroup of the Shasta (Native American tribe).


Azerbaijanese

en-adj

Azerbaijanese (comparative more Azerbaijanese, superlative most Azerbaijanese)

more Azerbaijanese (comparative)
most Azerbaijanese (superlative)


Adio

An ethnic group indigenous to Central Africa.


Elim

As she went through the woods where the primroses and the whitethorn were blossoming, the place seemed as the land of Elim, wherein there were twelve wells and threescore and ten palm trees.

1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide:

אֵילִם אילם#Hebrew

(historical, biblical, Judaism) An oasis in Sinai, New Kingdom, Egyptian Empire; Hebrew אֵילִם

A village in Agulhas Plain, Western Cape, South Africa

A city in Nome district, Alaska, United States


Azd

The first tribe to inhabit Arabia, descended from the Nabataeans.


archaeophyta

Number of archaeophyta and kenophyta in the localities of ZNP

1986, Załęczański Park Krajobrazowy: dokumentacja stanu środowiska przyrodniczego i kulturowego dla potrzeb ochrony i zagospodarowania (Acta Universitatis Lodziensis: Folia sozologica), Wydawnictw Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego, page 302:

The observed plant species were divided into three groups: apophyta (the original species growing before human settlement), archaeophyta (plants characteristic of the villages in the Middle Ages, before the year 1500) and neophyta (plant species penetrating to settlements in the last 100 years) (Pysek, 1989).[…]The frequency of indicated ecological groups of plants (apophyta, archaeophyta and neophyta) in villages depends on climatic conditions and anthropic pressure.

1995, J. Bohac, J. Kubes, R. Fuch, A. Curnova, “The use of biomonitoring for ecological planning and ecological policy in agricultural settlements”, in M. Munawar, O. Hänninen, S. Roy, N. Munawar, L. Kärenlampi, D. Brown, editors, Bioindicators of Environmental Health (Ecovision World Monograph Series), Amsterdam: SPB Academic Publishing, →ISBN, pages 157 and 161:

In Poland there are some significant collections of old segetal (“weed”) species, the biggest in situ and ex situ collections of archaeophyta are run by Institue of Plant Breeding and Aclimatization at Radzików.[…]Among 58 taxa protected ex situ by Kostrzyca FGB will be 30 species protected by the National Law of the Republic of Poland, 10 species endemic or subendemic to Poland (mainly Sudeten Mts. endemics, found only in the SW Poland and NE Czech Republic and also a few Tatra Mts. endemics), 20 relic species (both glacial relics from mires and alpine meadows and xerothermic relics typical for steppes), 5 species of archaeophyta (ancient weeds, nowadays threatened due to progress in agriculture and land abandonment) and 6 species with unique biology (carnivorous, parasitic, pirophytic etc.).

2011, Jože Bavcon, editor, Botanic Gardens and Biodiversity: 200ᵗʰ Anniversary of University Botanic Gardens Ljubljana and European Botanic Gardens Consortium Meeting, Ljubljana, 12-16 May 2010, Botanič vrt Univerze v Ljubljani, Oddelek za biologijo, Biotehniška fakulteta, →ISBN, pages 104 and 112:


twelve godfathers

(UK, slang, obsolete) A jury of twelve people.


Roxolani

(historical) A Sarmatian people documented between the 2nd century BC and the 4th century AD, first east of the Dnieper, and later near the borders of Roman Dacia and Moesia.


training pants

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-training pants.wav

Undergarments worn by incontinent people, typically infants, to aid in toilet training during the transition between diapers and underpants.


bracelets of fortune

(palmistry) Lines going around the wrist, associated with Neptune.


problem glasses

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-problem glasses.wav

(Internet slang, derogatory) Women's-style glasses (prescription or not) that are interpreted as signaling a prissy demeanor, especially ones that point upwards and outwards or have colorful frames.


MSAL

Apparently invented in the late 1990s as a substitute for MSA to avoid confusion with Modern Standard Arabic which bears the same abbreviation.

Modern South Arabian
Modern South Arabian#English

Abbreviation of Modern South Arabian languages.


chicken stakes

“We play for chicken stakes,” Bunny told him. “Pennies.”


apartments to let

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see apartment, let.


Yanyuwa

An Australian Aboriginal people of the Northern Territory. who live in the coastal region inclusive of and opposite to the Sir Edward Pellew Group of Islands in the southern Gulf of Carpentaria.


Yanyuwa

A Yanyulan Australian Aboriginal prefixing language spoken in the Northern Territory to the south of Arnhem Land.


microreparations

Small payments, such as a fraction of a company's profits, paid as compensation for past transgressions.


Kayapo

An indigenous people of Brazil, inhabiting a vast area spreading across the states of Pará and Mato Grosso, south of the Amazon River and along Xingu River and its tributaries.


Catti

Alternative form of Chatti (“Germanic tribe”)


Carijona

Borrowed from Spanish Carijona, itself borrowed from Carijona karihona (“Carijona-speaker, person”), from Proto-Cariban *karipona (“person”). Doublet of Carib, cannibal, caribe, Garifuna, and Kari'na.


Shasta Costa

A Native American tribe, one of the Lower Rogue River Athabascan tribes from southwestern Oregon.


Huchnom

A subgroup of the Yuki people of northern California.


wig and falsies

Don't put a fake wig and falsies on your advertised product.

1953, Harvey Whipple, Concrete, volume 61, page 39:

I am a consummate, dyed-in-the-wool, classic Eudora fan, and Mozilla Thunderbird - or for that matter any three-pane user interface email client dating back to Claris Emailer - is simply not my cup of tea, so dressing T-bird up in a Eudora wig and falsies is not going to cut it for me, or a lot of other Eudora aficionados.

2008 April 21, Charles Moore, “Odysseus Cometh: The Real Successor to Eudora”, in Low End Mac, archived from the original on 2021-07-12:

(colloquial, figurative) An attempt to make something look like something else without significantly altering its core functionality.


Cowessess

* From Ojibwe Ka-wezauce . Literally, “Little Boy”; the name of the chief.
* The tribe and the place were named after the chief.

A First Nations mixed tribe of Plains Cree, Saulteaux and Métis.


100s & 1000s

From bright , shiny silver balls to 100s & 1000s to chocolate vermicelli, Moir's really takes the cake and the cookies.

- 2 tbsp. 100s & 1000s
- 1 cup soda water
In a large bowl, mix together cake mix and 100s & 1000s.

2020, Kim McCosker, The Easiest Pie Maker Book Ever!, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:

hundreds and thousands
hundreds and thousands#English

Alternative form of hundreds and thousands


100s and 1000s

Spoon the icing over the doughnuts and sprinkle with 100s and 1000s.

2010, Fun in the Kitchen Volume 1, Quivertree Publications, →ISBN:

[…] iced on the top with pink and white icing plus 100s and 1000s – waiting to be transported to the church hall for the Saturday sale.

2013, Norah Moody, My Life. My Family. The 1920s to the 1960s., Lulu.com, →ISBN, page 22:


safety shorts

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-safety shorts.wav

compression shorts
compression shorts#English


compression shorts

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-compression shorts.wav

Form-fitting shorts, usually worn by athletes, that cover the wearer's waist to mid- or lower thigh, similar to cycling shorts.


BFM

(military, aviation) Initialism of basic fighter maneuver. A foundational maneuver or tactic used by fighter planes and fighter pilots.


Lorrainese

The people of Lorraine in northeastern France.


Lotuko

A Nilotic ethnic group whose traditional home is the Eastern Equatoria state of South Sudan.


Hasinai

(historical) A large confederation of Caddo-speaking Native Americans who occupied territory between the Sabine and Trinity rivers in eastern Texas.


Adorantes

(Christianity, historical) Those Unitarians who believed that it was lawful to worship Christ as a divinity.


Nonadorantes

(Christianity, historical) Those Unitarians who believed that it was not lawful to worship Christ as a divinity.


Oglala

One of the seven subtribes of the Lakota people, living mainly on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.


Hierbipiame

Alternative form of Ervipiame (“Native American people”)


Ervipiame

A Native American people of modern Coahuila and Texas.


Erromintxela

The distinctive language of a group of Romani living in the Basque Country.


Goajiro

Synonym of Wayuu (“Amerindian ethnic group”)


Nanai

Borrowed from Russian нанайский (nanajskij) or нанаец (nanajec), probably from Nanai нани (nani), which is an endonym used by both Nanai and Ulch people. Alternatively, from Nanai най (naj).

bor+

A Tungusic people of China and the Russian Far East


Bakalai

A Bantu tribe inhabiting a wide tract of land, formerly part of French Congo, between the Ogowe river and 2° south.


Bungish

Alternative form of Bangash (“Pashtun tribe”)


Bankalachi

The westernmost of the three bands that make up the Tübatulabal tribe.


Barotse

The Lozi ethnic group of southern Africa.


Barabra

From Ancient Greek βάρβαρος (bárbaros), possibly through Arabic بَرْبَر (barbar).

The Nubian peoples of northern Sudan and southern Egypt.


Bhutia

A community of Sikkimese people living in the state of Sikkim in northeastern India, who speak Drenjongke or Sikkimese.


Bangash

A tribe of ethnic Pashtuns whose traditional homeland stretches from Kohat to Tall and Spīn Ghar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, as well as smaller parts of Paktia, Afghanistan.


California corn flakes

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-California corn flakes.wav

“Ya know,” Tim continues, “Bolivian marching powder, blow, California corn flakes? Surely you brought a couple weeks' supply?”


Mexican noodles

A Mexican dish consisting of vermicelli stewed in a sauce of puréed vegetables and chilis.


Buduma

An ethnic group of Chad, Cameroon, and Nigeria who inhabit many of the islands of Lake Chad.


Buduma

The Chadic language spoken by these people.


Byroniana

Objects, materials, or documents relating to the poet and politician Lord Byron.


Samkani

Alternative form of Chamkanni (“Pashtun tribe”)


afterdays

And him the Greeks will giue, a master praise; / Verse finding him, to last all after daies.

c. 1615, George Chapman, transl., Homer’s Odysses, London: Nathaniel Butter, Book 3, p. 37:

a. 1710, William Congreve, “To Sir Godfrey Kneller” in The Works of Mr. William Congreve, London: Jacob Tonson, 1710, Volume 3, p. 1001,
But after-Days, my Friend, must do thee right, / And set thy Virtues in unenvy’d Light.

[…] many a rising beauty would be slighted by him in after days as bearing no comparison with Mrs. Brandon.

1811, [Jane Austen], chapter 14, in Sense and Sensibility […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] C[harles] Roworth, […], and published by T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 300:

Often in peaceful after-days was Alleyne to think of that scene of the wayside inn of Auvergne.

1891, Arthur Conan Doyle, chapter 28, in The White Company, New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, page 355:

[…] this thwart Parliament whose moods we watch— / So insular, empiric, un-ideal— / May figure forth in sharp and salient lines / To retrospective eyes of afterdays,

1904, Thomas Hardy, The Dynasts, London: Macmillan, Volume 1, Act I, Scene 3, p. 41:

(archaic) Days that follow; a later time or period; (figuratively) people in the future.


guns and roses

A whaler's life isn't all guns and roses, however, so Melville and a shipmate jumped ship at the Marquesas Islands.

2012, Bob*Star Publishing, American Literature Review, page 48:

But the story is not all guns and roses. Many of these foreign fighters die in the combat zone or end up moving on to fight in other foreign conflicts. Significant percentages simply cannot endure the training or become disillusioned once they come to realize that the harsh realities of waging a bloody jihad are far less glamorous than they seemed from afar.

2015, Daniel Byman, Al Qaeda, the Islamic State, and the Global Jihadist Movement, page 105:

'You're all guns and roses, mate,' was one off-hand comment on one of my crime thrillers where romance blossoms between two people trying to stop terrorists blowing up Heathrow Airport. In my erotic romances, I take time to discover the lives of the people involved before the action starts.

The glamour of love, war, and adventure, as opposed to mundane reality.


Cowlitz

An indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest.


'rales

I can't see no one, where's the Malis?
Now I gotta hide this blade from the 'rales
When I back this blade, wallahi
The hearts get beat like they just saw jihadi

2020 August 13, TwoLzz (lyrics and music), “TwentyTwo”, 1:10–1:18:


landed gentry

(British, historical) A largely historical social class of landowners who could live entirely from rental income, or at least owned a country estate.


blax

From blacks (plural of black) with -x replacing the /ks/ sound.

How many people think that more BLAX get the cops called on them as apposed to WHITES? and is it racist,, to hold your purse,briefcase when a black walks by??? THEN WHY DO YOU DO IT???

1996 January 23, Ivan Matchaszoff, “Dial 911 and Die?”, in talk.politics.guns (Usenet):

here again you are wrong, your completely brainwashed if you think what you stated is true. There are white people killed by blax every dayand you dont hear a thing about it.

1997 August 15, truth, “Beheading in rural Virginia: Shame on Joe Madison!”, in soc.culture.african.american (Usenet):

In article <95rcp0$626$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>, broj...@my-deja.com wrote:... But I thought blax never commit mass murder.

2001 February 7, broj...@my-deja.com, “Nigger bongo fury leaves five dead -- TNB Illinois”, in alt.native (Usenet):

In the jungles of Africa, the feral niggers kill each other naturally. It is the wild niggers' right to kill each other. How did Lincoln think that an animal as savage as the nigger could be tamed? These animals are being rounded up daily and put in cages. Niggers fill the jails that Whitey pays for with our tax dollars. It makes me so proud to see the caged monkey nigger! Throw away the keys!

2005 June 28, Orenthal J. Whippacoon, “Blax belong in a jungle theme park”, in alt.culture.african.american.issues (Usenet):

>(You could) talk about the impact of the continual theme of >christian victimization on the christian community..... Well if Christians are victimized, let's give them preferential treatment too, like we do the po victimized blax. So for starters, give me 20 extra points on college admissions' tests for being a victimized Christian.

2009 February 19, Restless, “Eric Holder, More Race Baiting, Same Old Shit From The Left”, in alt.impeach.bush (Usenet):

No blax on jury—but it is because so few blax answered jury call!

2010, Red Jordan Arobateau, Ephemeris--The Book of Time, page 6:

racism is the norm in the usa, time to pay reparation to every single negro or part blax, they have been screwed over big, souls detroyed. pointing to a few uncle tom type blax that are boasting about selling out their entire race to be made token blackmen.

2014 November 25, French©Five-Skin®, “Black thugs? Really?”, in misc.invest.stocks (Usenet):

(slang, often derogatory) Black people, collectively.


Eshim

Alternative form of Ishim (“class of angels said to be the closest to the affairs of mortals”)


Washingtoniana

Objects, materials, or documents relating to George Washington (1732–1799), American political leader and Founding Father of the United States.


Witoto

Ultimately from Proto-Cariban *wɨtoto (“person”), originally applied to the people in question by Cariban-speakers as an exonym.

An indigenous people of southeastern Colombia and northern Peru.


Witoto

An indigenous American language or language family spoken in Colombia and Peru.


Kaldani

Chaldean Catholic Church
Chaldean Catholic Church

(historical) Members of the Chaldean Catholic Church in Asia.


Kinipetu

The Qaernermiut, a group of the Caribou Inuit people.


Kerguelens

Kerguelen Islands
Kerguelen Islands#English


Kharduri

A group of formerly seminomadic Tajiks of unknown origin.


fairy folk

Small mythical rarely-seen human-like creatures with magical powers and fair skin who live in remote, often forested locations.


Oklafalaya

A western division of the Choctaw people.


Wea

Clipping of Waiatanwa and other forms, derived from Miami waayaahtanwa, from waayaahtanonki (“place of the whirpool”).

An indigenous people of western Indiana, USA and surrounding regions .


Eskimo sisters

(slang) Women who have had sexual intercourse with the same man.


Juruna

Alternative form of Yuruna (“a branch of the Tupian language family”)


merry men

An allusion to Robin Hood's band of outlaws.

But none of it is going to be easy, and here are a few thoughts to help Merriman and his merry men in Great Minster House.

2022 November 16, Christian Wolmar, “Can Merriman use his rail knowledge to make a difference?”, in RAIL, number 970, page 44:

(idiomatic) A group of assistants, subordinates, or lackeys


lineman's pliers

(US) A type of pliers used by linemen, electricians, and other tradesmen primarily for gripping, twisting, bending and cutting wire, cable and small metalwork components.


plier wrenches

tongue-and-groove pliers
tongue-and-groove pliers

An adjustable hand tool with a sliding mechanism, that combines a tongue-and-groove pliers / water pump pliers with an adjustable spanner. It is a water pump pliers with a flat head.


combination pliers

(US, UK) A type of pliers used by linemen, electricians, and other tradesmen primarily for gripping, twisting, bending and cutting wire, cable and small metalwork components.


Cowasuck

(historical) An Algonquian-speaking Native American tribe in northeastern North America.


cold steel and bright lights

en-noun

cold steel and bright lights pl (plural only)

bright lights and cold steel
bright lights and cold steel#English

Alternative form of bright lights and cold steel


bright lights and cold steel

bright lights and cold steel pl (plural only)

[W]ith stent technology always improving, we have seen a decline in patients that must be sent to the OR. Now, with the JoStent, even a perforation can be saved from the bright lights and cold steel!

2006, October, Sandi Skrobiszewski, Mercy Health Partners Mercy Hospital, CathLabDigest (retrieved 7 Sept 2021)

On this visit, doctor supports the surgical treatment plan and will read the patient his rights before moving on to bright lights and cold steel.

2012, August 11, Dr. Charles Sternbergh, Life of a neurosurgeon after neurosurgery, Tennessee Neurosurgical Society Annual Meeting (retrieved 7 Sept 2021)

There is a saying amongst physicians that when all else fails, it may be time for "bright lights and cold steel." This is doctor speak for surgery.

2013, November 9, Jon Myers, Life of a neurosurgeon after neurosurgery Bright Lights & Cold Steel, Fry-Pan Jones (retrieved 7 Sept 2021)

(informal, medicine) Surgery (procedure involving major incisions to remove, repair, or replace a part of a body).


Tamaroa

A Native American people in the central Mississippi River valley.


men in white coats

I don’t need to call the men in white coats to come take you away, do I?


Palta

An extinct language of the Ecuadorian Amazon.


Chickamauga

Chickamauga Creek, either of two short tributaries of the Tennessee River.


lever shears

throatless shear
throatless shear#English


douche chills

“You're so gross,” she said, douche chills running up her arms and legs.

2012, Tonya Hurley, The Blessed, page 48:

It gave me douche chills just reading it. I was not particularly looking forward to meeting (or networking) with the people who worked there.

It makes me cringe, gives me douche chills, and I know I'm not alone.

2018, Mark D. Trollinger, Champ and a Bit of Sunshine, page 75:

(Canada, US, slang, often humorous) A physical feeling, akin to chills, in reaction to something contemptibly obnoxious.


trackage rights

trackage rights pl (normally plural, singular trackage right)

In addition, the combined system has trackage rights into Memphis, Tennessee, and Birmingham, Alabama.

1941 January, “Notes and News: An Important American Amalgamation”, in Railway Magazine, page 34:

(rail transport, US) Synonym of running powers.


Wahpekute

A band within the Santee division of the Dakota people.


Akhaioi

At once he gave the order to the clear-voiced heralds
To summon warwards the Akhaioi with their long-grown hair.

2015, William Guy, transl., Homer's Iliad:


Wahpeton

A city, the county seat of Richland County, North Dakota.


ADOS

American Descendants of Slavery
w:American Descendants of Slavery

Initialism of American Descendants of Slavery.


ADOS

w:Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule

Acronym of Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule.


Adai

Borrowed from Caddo hadai (“brushwood”).

A Native American people of northwestern Louisiana and northeastern Texas.


Adai

An extinct Native American language that was spoken in northwestern Louisiana.


Waikuri

An extinct language of southern Baja California spoken by the Waikuri or Guaycura people.


Bahema

Synonym of Hema (“ethnic group of Nilotic origin”)


Hunipui

(historical) A band of the Northern Paiute people who lived along Deschutes River, Crooked River and John Day River in central Oregon.


kitty's titties

Chosen for the rhyme, based on cat's meow.

I wish I hadn't thrown out my > clown shoes...boo hoo. THOSE were the kitty's titties, yo-

1998 January 20, BaronVon, “my trip.”, in alt.punk (Usenet):

Hrm, which WMs did I use in the past? FVWM2, WM, BB, a few others that were supposed to be the kitty's titties but I uninstalled in about 5m flat because they were completely lacking.

2005 June 14, Steve C. Lamb, “Request for window manager recommendations”, in linux.debian.user (Usenet):

"Besides have you seen Homeland? That show is the kitty's titties," she added.

2013, The Quinnipiac Barnacle Staff, The Quinnipiac Barnacle 2012-2013, page 112:

According to Sylvester, the only chile commonly grown in Pima gardens was miitol vippi ko'okol, more frequently called just miitol vippi, which he glossed 'kitty's titties.'

2016, Amadeo M. Rea, At the Desert's Green Edge - An Ethnobotany of the Gila River Pima, page 296:

(slang, vulgar, uncommon) Synonym of cat's meow


ant's pants

(Australia, slang) Something that is regarded as outstanding.


spider's ankles

Origin uncertain; presumably one of the set including cat's pyjamas (which see).

(Ireland, slang) Something that is regarded as outstanding.


two-thousandsies

From two thousands + -ies; the suffix -ies is used to form consistency with terms for recent previous decades, such as nineties, eighties, seventies, etc.

(informal, humorous) The decade that began on January 1, 2000 and ended on December 31, 2009.


Takitumu

A tribe inhabiting the island of Rarotonga.


Tanala

A Malagasy ethnic group inhabiting a forested inland region of south-east Madagascar, near Manakara.


means of labor

(Marxism) All those things with the aid of which man acts upon the subject of his labor, and transforms it.


slips and capture

A type of cognitive error whereby a person inadvertently performs one action while intending to do another.

(law enforcement) Particularly, the error by which a police officer bears a gun while intending to take out a Taser instead.


Tindiga

Back-formation of Swahili Kitindiga and Watindiga

Hadza, either the people or the language.


gabbies

(slang) Gabapentin tablets taken as a recreational drug.


Jacobitiana

Objects, materials, or documents relating to the Jacobites.


Jaalin

bor

Arabic جعليون


Jinshang

(historical) Merchants from Shanxi province, China.


Iranun

A language spoken in Mindanao of the southern Philippines and western Sabah in Malaysia.


Kwantlen

Any member of a branch of the Sto꞉lo people living in the Fort Langley and McMillan Island area of British Columbia.


Sto꞉lo

A group of Salish First Nations peoples inhabiting the Fraser Valley and lower Fraser Canyon of British Columbia.


Iapydes

(historical) An ancient people who dwelt north of and inland from the Liburnians, off the Adriatic coast and eastwards of the Istrian peninsula.


Obertenghi

In 1187 the marquis of Massa, Guglielmo, burst on the scene in Sardinia; he was the head of one of the four branches of the Obertenghi clan and was supported by the commune of Pisa.

1995, David Abulafia, The New Cambridge Medieval History: Volume 5, C.1198-c.1300, Cambridge University Press, page 449:

Crucially, the Welf family also held extensive lands in Emilia and Lombardy, through its links to the Italian clan of the Obertenghi, which had formerly produced many diehard imperialists.

2008, David J. Hay, The Military Leadership of Matilda of Canossa, 1046-1115, Manchester University Press, page 125:

The Genoese nobility began with Ido degli Obertenghi, who appears in the city annals in 952 as a viscount. From countship the territory became a march, and the Obertenghi became marquises.

2011, Paola Rapelli, “Symbols of Power in Art”, in Jay Hyams, transl., [2004, Simboli di Potere e Grandi Dinastie], The J. Paul Getty Museum, page 323:

Collectively, the members of a mediaeval Frankish dynasty of Italian nobility comprising Oberto I and descendants; the dynasty itself.


addlins

He din’t heve mich i t’way o addlins but it wor just enuff to get by.

(UK, Yorkshire, dialect, archaic) earnings


ainoi

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek αἶνοι (aînoi), plural of αἶνος (aînos).

lbor

(Christianity) lauds; a prayer service following matins


Alibamu

Alternative form of Alabama (“Muskogean language”)


Igala

A sub-Saharan language belonging to the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo family, which is closely related to Yoruba.


seven dirty words

the seven dirty words (canonical plural)

Coined by American comedian George Carlin, when he listed the words in his 1972 monologue "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television".

seven deadly sins
seven deadly sins#English

A parody of seven deadly sins, seven English-language curse words, often referred to as being the most obscene. The words, in the order George Carlin originally listed them, are: shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits.


Tano

Borrowed from Spanish Taño. This surname is mostly found in the Philippines.


spatterdashers

en-noun

spatterdashers pl (normally plural, singular spatterdasher)


angles and dangles

(naval, slang) A random series of loops, turns, and depth changes in a submarine, intended to eliminate the self-noise which could occur during a baffle-clearing event.


quoilers

Quoilers for 4 Horses

1874, Isabella James, Memorial of Thomas Potts, Junior, page 87:

(UK, regional, obsolete) The breeching of the harness of a horse-drawn cart.


Malabar rites

(Christianity, historical) Certain customs or practices of the natives of South India, which the Jesuit missionaries allowed their Indian neophytes to retain after conversion but which were afterwards prohibited by Rome.


Bright Young People

bright young people
bright young people#English

Alternative letter-case form of bright young people


bright young people

Like the American collegians, the Bright Young People stoked the media's new obsession with youth. They were the first British youth culture to be defined in aspirational terms, as they heralded the application of adolescence as an ideal beyond biology.

2007, Jon Savage, Teenage, Viking, →ISBN, page 248:

bright young things
bright young thing#English

(historical, often capitalized) Synonym of bright young things, a youth culture in 1920s London.


Bhonsle

A prominent group within the Maratha clan system.


pyjammas

He was on deck in an instant, habited merely in his light pyjammas and sleeping-jacket.


basketball shoes

basketball shoes pl (normally plural, singular basketball shoe)

Japanese: バスケットボールシューズ

Originally designed for basketball players, then later became used by the general public.

(Canada, US) A pair of bulky athletic shoes, manufactured to be shock absorbent and stable for the footing.


proats

(informal) A food consisting of oatmeal mixed with protein powder and milk or water.


Heiban

A people of the Nuba Mountains in South Kordofan state in southern Sudan.


mosquito drawers

(India, archaic, historical) Tight-fitting churidar-like trousers.


Talodi

A subgroup of the Nuba peoples in the Nuba Mountains of South Kordofan state in southern Sudan.


staggered shelves

In Japanese architecture, two shelves at different heights, each one extending from one wall while not touching the other wall, but mutually joined in the middle with a vertical segment.


staffaculty

(rare, informal) A combination of the staff and faculty of an institution.


Sunda Islands

The Sunda Islands are divided into two groups, the Greater Sunda Islands — viz., Sumatra, and Java, with their dependencies; and the Lesser Sunda Islands, comprising all that lie E. of Java, Timor being the chief.

1871, W. L. Bevan, The student's manual of modern geography, 2nd edition, John Murray, page 459:

On the other hand, the Sunda Islands have been extensively studied, if on a broad scale, and allow us to draw valid comparisons.

1965, Express Translation Service, Jean Aubouin, Geosynclines, Elsevier, page 230:

It is also likely that Nasalis larvatus (Borneo) and Simias concolor (Mentawai Islands) were already present as endemic taxa in the Late Pliocene, and that their last common ancestor had arrived in the Sunda islands by the early Pliocene.

2006, Terry Harrison, John Krigbaum, Jessica Manser, “Chapter 12: Primate Biogeography and Ecology on the Sunda Shelf Islands”, in Shawn M. Lehman, John G. Fleagle, editors, Primate Biogeography: Progress and Prospects, Springer, page 332:

A group of islands in the Malay Archipelago.


mines and minerals

Near-synonym: mineral rights

(property law, England and Wales, idiomatic) The legal title to geological resources in the subsurface of a piece of land, usually by reference to being in the same or separate ownership to the surface of that land.


mines & minerals

mines and minerals
mines and minerals#English


twelve good men and true

twelve good men and true pl (plural only)

members of the public
member of the public

(poetic or humorous) A jury of twelve members of the public.


ladylumps

... veiled double entendres emblazoned upon their ladylumps, the sixth annual Lutefisk Festival was in jeopardy . Oľ Chumbucket , the defender of all holidays and festivals that feature the consumption of Euro - ethnic foodstuffs that ...

2008, John Baur, Mark Summers, The Pirate Life, Citadel Press, →ISBN, page 121:

Leaving feminist blog Jezebel to declare: “I have a dream that one day ladies can be considered ladybros without having to show their ladylumps.”

2011 November 22, Jaclyn Tersigni, “Why is GQ's 'Bro of the Year' wearing lingerie?”, in The Globe and Mail:

2016, Melanie Shawn, Let It Snow, Red Hot Reads Publishing
After Courtney bounced enthusiastically—causing her ladylumps to almost spill out of her shirt—she began circling the table, running her fingers along the felted sides, “looking” for her next shot. Really, she was just putting on a show ...


knuckle children

(slang, vulgar) Semen or ejaculate resulting from masturbation.


Oklahannali

A tribe of Native Americans inhabiting Oklahoma.


Wahiro

Synonym of Wayuu (“Amerindian ethnic group”)


spherical coordinates

spherical coordinates pl (normally plural, singular spherical coordinate)

A coordinate system, for three-dimensional space, using latitude, longitude and radius (i.e. distance from the center) as the coordinates.


Stammaim

A modern coinage on the pattern of Amoraim, Tannaim, etc, from Hebrew סְתָם (stam, literally “plain”), used to describe the anonymous commentary in the Talmud.

Any of the rabbis who composed the anonymous statements and arguments in the Talmud, some of whom may have worked during the period of the Amoraim, but who mostly made their contributions later.


Washoe

From English Wa She Shu, from Washo Wá꞉šiw ʔítlu (“Wašišiw”) Literally, “people from here”.


froglegs

The MPEDA should increase the export of froglegs by popularising this product in affluent countries. The need for increasing production of froglegs both by capture and culture operations would then arise.

1976, Report of the National Commission on Agriculture, 1976: Fisheries, page 259:

The production of froglegs also fell due to prolonged drought in 1978-79. However, USA the major buyer of Bangladesh products of frozen shrimps and froglegs has blacklisted several countries of this region including Bangladesh.

1979, Bangladesh Economic Survey, page 33:

The processing procedure includes several steps to reduce the number of bacteria and to avoid cross-contamination; but even when the production of froglegs is carried out under the most hygienic conditions, elimination of all salmonellae is difficult to achieve (Nickelson et al., 1975).[…]Since salmonellae will remain a common organism in the regions of catch, and since during processing can be minimized but not eliminated, salmonellae will continue to be found in froglegs.

c. 1980, Food Commodities, International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods, page 829:

Traditionally, Asian/Pacific producers of froglegs wrap their products individually in cellophane or polythene foil and airblast freeze them either individually or in shatter-proof blocks, which can easily be broken when the time comes to separate them. This means that the importer has to re-pack the froglegs into consumer packaging, an operation which usually adds to his costs and inconveniences.

c. 1985, Hinko Lisac, “Frozen froglegs in consumer packs — processing tips”, in INFOFISH Marketing Digest, page 30:

Rusi, nodding, was eating the froglegs happily enough — but he, of course, had drunk cowpiss just as willingly during our navjote.

1988, Boman Desai, “Froglegs”, in The Memory of Elephants, Chicago, Ill., London: The University of Chicago Press, published 2001, →ISBN, page 178:


boxer-briefs

BOXER-BRIEFS > At A Glance: Is it a boxer? Is it a brief? Surprise, it's both!

1995, Orange Coast Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 12, page 19:


wheels of steel

She feels she should fit right in, charming the populace on the wheels of steel. 'Music is my lover,' she is fond of saying. She's looking for a universal groove, something that everyone can, somehow, in whatever small way, relate to.

2000, Darren O'Donnell, Your Secrets Sleep With Me, page 58:

With Pam The Funkstress on the wheels of steel, every track provides plenty of forward motion without sacrificing the music's vertical pleasures.

2001, CMJ New Music Monthly, number 97, page 85:

“Let's see if you can keep up,” she said as the ragga music touched everybody. Melanie-Jo, working the wheels of steel, waved at Jayden and he waved back.

2004, Enakhe O, Who Is My Brother's Keeper?, page 253:

(slang) A disc jockey or record scratcher's turntables.


Azande

Alternative form of Zande (“African ethnic group”)


private benefits

Refers to the benefits received by a firm or consumer, as part of its economic activity.


Inuvialuit

(ethnology) An Inuit people who live in the western Canadian Arctic region.


pennies on the dollar

(idiomatic) A small amount of money, much less than would be expected.


cryptozoa

From crypto- + zoa, coined by English zoologist Arthur Dendy.

coin

(ecology) Small animals who live in darkness and under conditions of high relative humidity.


SLABS

Initialism of student loan asset-backed securities.


galgalim

The Galgalim were angels who danced and sang forever in the presence of Jehovah.

2010, J. R. Jones, The Morning Star: Book 1 of the Fall of Zion Saga, page 77:


Nahani

Any of numerous native groups located in British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon Territory between the upper Liard River and the 64th parallel north latitude.


Xanthomelanoi

Coordinate term: Xanthochroi

(dated, anthropology) The xanthomelanous division of the human population.


Irvingiana

Objects, materials, or documents relating to Washington Irving (1783–1859), American author, biographer, and historian.


Itonama

A moribund language isolate spoken by these people.


Ibanag

An ethnolinguistic minority inhabiting the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, and Nueva Vizcaya in the Philippines.


hts.

(geography) Abbreviation of heights., as found in placenames


Itneg

An Austronesian ethnic group from the upland province of Abra in northwestern Luzon, in the Philippines.


parallettes

/ˈpæɹələt͡s/

A portabilized set of parallel bars consisting of two horizontal bars to be made to stand apart by the user, upon which callisthenic exercises are performed.


trouserettes

ANYBODY who thinks that the suffragettes are going to take to trouserettes, anybody who expects to see a suffragette in trouserettes telling the world from a soap box on a street corner that taxation without representation is tyranny, has only to mention trouserettes to a few suffragettes to find out his or her mistake.

1911 March 19, “No Trouser Skirts for Them: Suffragists Have No Use for Bifurcated Garments”, in The Sioux City Journal, page 6:

“We think our blue and brown smocks and trouserettes are as honorable and significant a uniform as that of the soldiers in khaki,” said one young woman who was engaged in the dangerous handling of cordite. All women who work on machinery wear trouserettes and many have had their hair cut short in the interest of safety and comfort.

1918, The Textile Worker: Official Journal of the United Textile Workers of America, page 57:

Red trouserettes on waitresses cause stir

1921 April 28, Buffalo Express, volume LXXVI, number 89, Buffalo, N.Y., page 2:

(historical) A baggy women's garment that covered each leg separately, elasticized at waist and ankle, used as a replacement for the petticoat; bloomers.


twinsies

en-noun

twinsies pl (normally plural, singular twinsie)

They both selected wrap-style, ankle-length floral dresses and peep-toe heels. […] “Twinsies!” The ladies shouted in unison in the hallway outside of their room.

2018, Ann Omasta, The Royally Broke Billionaire: Royal Wedding Blues, page 11:

(childish, informal) Twins, or two people or things that are more or less identical.


Elizabeth Islands

Named after Queen Elizabeth I of England.

An archipelago off the southern coast of Massachusetts, United States, located between Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound, and collectively comprising the town of Gosnold.


Djurtus

The Guinea-Bissau national football team


Lowlands

A specific application of lowlands, equivalent to low + lands.

Of the miserable Highland clachan, to which Sir Walter Scott brought Bailie Nicol Jarvie and Frank Osbaldistone for their meeting with the redoubtable Rob Roy, little or nothing remains, and Aberfoyle is now a bright and clean holiday resort, standing on historic ground, where the Highlands and Lowlands meet.

1951 September, M. D. Greville, “From Glasgow to Aberfoyle”, in Railway Magazine, page 580:

A mostly low-lying region of Scotland between the Highlands and England.


Vilela

An endangered Lule-Vilela language, indigenous to northwestern Argentina.


buntlings

"Our pretty Ann wears fine main buntlings no less, and will you take notice of the fineness of the lace! I have nothing better myself. What do you say, Roger, shall we take this along and let it flutter from our masthead?"

1947, Thomas B. Costain, textsFor my great folly, page 25:

On deck, for practice, Tom and his messmates, the foc'slmen, had taught Cotterell with a bit of canvas to hand the leech of sails, "like lifting a girl's buntlings", then to reef them to the boatswain's or his mate's orders.

2008, Tom Bowling, The antigallican, large print edition, page 92:


frozen peaches

(derogatory) Alternative form of freeze peach.


T&Cs

terms and conditions
terms and conditions#English

(law) Abbreviation of terms and conditions.


crimping pliers

A tool used to crimp, to join two pieces of metal.


Yokuts

A Native American ethnic group of central California.


Channellocks

adjustable pliers
adjustable pliers#English


tongue-and-groove pliers

tongue-and-groove pliers pl (plural only)


adjustable pliers

A type of pliers used by plumbers that can be quickly changed in size and is primarily used for tightening nuts on water pipes.


Gimirrai

(historical) The Cimmerians (ancient equestrian nomads of Indo-European origin).


panic stations

A humorous alteration of battle stations


Gadariya

Alternative form of Gadaria (“ethnic group”)


Gadaria

An Indian ethnic group primarily found in Uttar Pradesh and in some parts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, and traditionally involved in the breeding of livestock, especially sheep.


tea and medals

“Come on then guys, home to England for tea and medals.”

2002, Allen Murray, Skytrucker, page 262:

What happens is we wait till he goes home, fall in behind, tap him on the shoulder, pop him in a bag, home for tea and medals. Alright?

2010, Thomas Leveritt, The Exchange-Rate Between Love and Money, page 197:

(humorous) The rewards and relaxation that follow successful completion of an undertaking.


Agaw

A language family, a subfamily of Cushitic, spoken by the Agaw people.


Himba

The dialect of the Herero language spoken by the Himba people.


transfolks

Gentrification often starts with the artists, revolutionaries, freaks, transfolks, and queers (what I would call my people) moving into poor neighborhoods inhabited by people of color.

2014, Inga Muscio, Autobiography of a Blue-eyed Devil:

(informal) Synonym of transfolk (“transgender people”)


Veneti

(historical) A seafaring Gallic tribe in Armorica, in the northern part of modern Brittany, during the Iron Age and under Roman rule.

(historical) A Venetic-speaking tribe in northeastern Italy and Slovenia under Roman rule.


dolefuls

(informal) A doleful feeling; the blues; the doldrums.


floodland

Important to the description of surface water and wetlands is the floodlands of rivers and streams. Floodlands are the wide, gently sloping areas contiguous to and usually lying on both sides of a river or stream channel.

1978, Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, A park and recreation plan for Ozaukee County:

The third type of surface water storage area consists of the floodlands generally associated with streams and water courses. Because of the absence of major lakes and the small areas of remaining wetlands, floodlands constitute the main […]

1979, Environmental Protection Agency, The IJC Menomonee River watershed study, United States, page 59:

This is the reason why there are fewer amphibia in the annual otter's diet in the River Pripyat floodlands (where there are virtually no common frogs) as compared to other large river basins.

1991, The Soviet Journal of Ecology, volume 22, page 368:

Drainage — During a storm, any part of the floodlands not reached by the flood can retain water in its soils and hydrological system, thereby reducing the probable height of the floodwaters.

2018, John R. Clark, Coastal Zone Management Handbook, CRC Press, →ISBN:

A low-lying area, especially on either side of a river, which regularly floods.


mommy wars

mommy wars pl (normally plural, singular mommy war)

(chiefly Canada, US) Disputes between mothers over parenting methods, especially those between working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.


mummy wars

mummy wars pl (normally plural, singular mummy war)


undertrousers

This is composed of a short skirt and high gathered bodice, all in one, with full undertrousers in a separate piece.

1896 May 24, “Some of the New Bathing Suits”, in The Chattanooga Sunday Times, Chattanooga, Tenn., page 18:

Roman wore a pair of loose undertrousers and slowly let himself into the water from the stern of the boat.

1897 July 9, “Feet Were Tied. German Lost His Life While in Swimming. Dropped Into Water—Underdrawers Wrapped Around His Akles—Weeds Closed About Him.”, in Buffalo Courier-Record, volume LXII, number 187, Buffalo, N.Y., page 5:

Only undertrousers or drawers should be worn instead of petticoats. Indeed, petticoats are not to be included in a boy’s outfit after he is two years old.

1899 August 19, “Fashions for Children. There is Always Something New for Boys and Girls. Simplicity is the Keynote for Everything—Some Attractive and Serviceable School Frocks.”, in The Evening Star, number 14,500, Washington, D.C., page 8:

Two sets of clean room garment systems were used and tested: One clean room coverall having high filtration performance, and one set of cotton underwear and undertrousers, and one set of polyester underwear and undertrousers.

1988, Exploring World Partnerships in Technology: 9th International Symposium on Contamination Control: Proceedings, page 487:

He lifted his skirts and there I saw his undertrousers. They were white and came to his knees. And his red socks also, held up with garters. It was so funny. He took from the shelf another pair of undertrousers and put them on.

1992, Mary Flanagan, Rose Reason, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, page 304:

“It’ll go away—keep your knickers on,” he added, shifting off the bed and casting around for his own undertrousers.[…]“I never once doubted that, Mi—Vielle,” he promised her, fastening his undertrousers in place.

2013, Angela Knight, Jennifer Ashley, Jean Johnson, Hanna Martine, Unbound, Berkley Sensation:


Wahehe

Synonym of Hehe (“a Bantu people of Tanzania”)


life rights

Netflix paid you $320,000 for your life rights to the series, and you consulted on the project.

2022 February 14, Emily Palmer, “Anna Sorokin on ‘Inventing Anna’ and Life After Rikers”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

An agreement with a person (or a deceased person's estate) to create fictionalized accounts of their life.


Wandjina

A type of rain spirit in Aboriginal cultures, often depicted in rock art


paper hands

(finance slang) The fragility or insecurity of an investor to sell a financial asset upon an early or dubious indication of downturn.


diamond hands

(finance slang) The resolve or stubbornness of an investor to hold on to a financial asset despite its volatility.


alien space bats

Coined in the Usenet newsgroup soc.history.what-if.

(fandom slang) An implausible point of divergence from reality, used as a plot device in alternate history.


Bubi

Alternative form of Bube (“Bantu language”)


necessars

(in later use Scotland, now rare) Necessaries.


chips and cheese

He says he hasn't. Then he orders two tacos and a side of chips and cheese.

2016, K. A. Barson, Charlotte Cuts it Out, Viking, →ISBN, page 102:

A snack consisting of a bed of tortilla chips topped with melted cheese.


Damnonii

(historical) A Brittonic people of the late 2nd century who lived in what became the Kingdom of Strathclyde by the Early Middle Ages, and is now southern Scotland.


curtain bangs

Long bangs that part in the center to face away from the face.


air bangs

Light, sparse bangs, a hairstyle originating in South Korea.


Toubou

A Saharan ethnic group inhabiting northern Chad, southern Libya, northeastern Niger and northwestern Sudan.


deez nuts

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Deez nuts.wav

After a bit of back-and-forth, the man suddenly shouts “Deez nuts!”, and since then, it’s become a viral joke.

2021 May 8, “TikTok: What are 'Deez Nuts' Jokes?”, in HITC, archived from the original on 2022-04-14:

Nick Saban is known for his solemn and stern demeanor. So when Alabama safety Jordan Battle revealed his head coach has an affinity for "deez nuts" jokes, it was both shocking and hilarious.

2021 September 21, “Mac Jones confirms Nick Saban's love for 'deez' jokes”, in NBC Sports:

It's got crunchy mixed in frozen fruits and is designed to be eaten with a spoon. Hard to make fun of deez nuts in our mouth.

2022 January 18, “This peanut butter made for gamers actually sounds delicious”, in PC Gamer:

The best part is, of course, when he says “it’s time for love and unity” after flipping everyone off and shortly before telling them to suck “deez nuts.”

2022 March 11, “Kid Rock Is So Unoriginal, He Made the Same Bad Music Video All Over Again”, in Metal Sucks:

(Internet slang, humorous) these nuts (testicles)


Greek arts

Novice TV interested in exploring all forms of erotica, especially French and Greek arts, with other TV's

1987 January 29, personal advertisement at an adult bookstore in Columbus, Ohio; quoted in Thomas Edward Murray and Thomas R. Murrell, The Language of Sadomasochism: A Glossary and Linguistic Analysis, Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1989, page 78


trinoculars

A notional set of binoculars for a three-eyed being.


Mayo scissors

They were designed by surgeons at the Mayo Clinic, founded by William Worrall Mayo.

A kind of surgical scissors, often used in the cutting of fascia.


Metzenbaum scissors

They were designed by the American surgeon Myron Firth Metzenbaum (1876–1944).

A kind of surgical scissors for cutting delicate tissue and blunt dissection, having a relatively long shank-to-blade ratio.


Straits of Magellan

en-prop

the Straits of Magellan pl (plural only)

the Straits of Magellan (canonical plural)

Under our new World may alſo be compriſed thoſe vaſt Southern Coaſts and Streights of Magelan, firſt lighted on by Ferdinandus Magelanus in the year 1520, in his Circumnavigation of the Univerſe ; which forty five years after Sir Francis Drake, and next Sir Thomas Bendiſh, Engliſhmen, made a furhter inſpection into ; and in the Year 1600 Oliver van Noord a Hollander paſt, but of later years a Spaniard, Fedinand de Quier, out-ſhot them all by a more ample Diſcovery then all the former.

1669, John Nievhoff, translated by John Ogilby, An Embassy from the Eaſt-India Company of the United Provinces, to the Grand Tartar Cham Emperour of China, London: John Macock, →OCLC, pages 3–4:

Well, as if that wern't enough, we ship together again in this vessel, and a time we had of it with the French letter-of-marque. After that, a devil of a passage we made of it through the Straits of Magellan.

1844, James Fenimore Cooper, Afloat and Ashore, page 257:

The plains near the Straits of Magellan are inhabited by one species of Rhea (American ostrich), and northward the plains of La Plata by another species of the same genus; and not by a true ostrich or emeu, like those found in Africa and Australia under the same latitude.

1859 November 24, Charles Darwin, “Geographical Distribution”, in On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, […], London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 349:

As the Panama Canal was still not ready, the fleet had to pass across the tip of South America through the Straits of Magellan.

2018 December 16, Andrew Glass, “Roosevelt dispatches U.S. fleet on goodwill voyage, Dec. 16, 1907”, in Politico, archived from the original on 2018-12-16:

Strait of Magellan
Strait of Magellan#English


Frafra

A subset of the Gurunsi peoples living in northern Ghana.


Kristinaux

From an early name by which they were known to the French.


Koeri

A traditionally agricultural Indian caste also referred to as Maurya and Kushwaha in northern India.


Koroa

From French Akoroa (also Courouais), most likely from a Native American word.

(historical) One of the groups of indigenous nations who lived in the Mississippi Valley prior to the European settlement of the region.


Gurunsi

A set of related ethnic groups inhabiting northern Ghana and south and central Burkina Faso.


angels moving the furniture

en-noun

angels moving the furniture pl (plural only)

I remember my Mother defusing our scare of summer thunder with an explanation learned from her Mother. 'Nothing to fear. Only the angels moving the furniture around in one of the many mansions,' she'd tell us.

2004, Stan Monaghan, In the Wake of Maureen Reilly, page 103:

She told Camillus not to cry, it was only the angels moving the furniture in heaven. Sometimes, after the storms, she sensed that the mountains were prowling around the house, in two opposing lines, like a grand chain.

2013, Valerie Lawson, Mary Poppins, She Wrote: The Life of P. L. Travers, page 216:

The corrugated iron roof made the gutted house a drum, the high hat hiss and clack of it, white noise with thunder noises off, 'the angels moving the furniture about' as my great-gran used to say.

2019, Dan Richards, Outpost: A Journey to the Wild Ends of the Earth:

(humorous) An explanation for a crash of thunder.


Storyani

A Pashtun tribe inhabiting parts of Pakistan.


Warekena

An indigenous group living on the Xié River in northwestern Amazonia.


Warekena

An Arawakan language of Brazil and of Maroa Municipality in Venezuela, spoken near the Guainia River.


honey joys

Though it was apparently a prevalent snack in shops since the 1930s, its first definitive known mention was in a 1938 as a recipe in a newspaper. The origin of the name is unverifiable, as its creator is untraceable.

Meanwhile, I'm catering for Verity's fifth birthday party on the same day at 2 p.m. – am up to my armpits tonight in honey joys and chocolate crackles! I also have to bake a mermaid cake!

2011, Jacqueline Pascarl, Abducted: The Fourteen-Year Fight to Find My Children:

And she also said she knows how to make honey joys. We haven't had them since my sixth birthday.

(Australia) Party snacks made by mixing cornflakes with honey, butter and sugar and baking in patty cases.


Ghilji

One of the largest Pashtun tribes, having the traditional homeland of Ghazni and Qalati Ghilji in Afghanistan.


tna'im

Borrowed from Hebrew תְּנָאִים, plural of תְּנַאי (“condition, term”).

The tna'im contained guarantees of sufficient substance that the couple's future might now be seen as entirely settled.

2000 February 1, Jacob Katz, Tradition and Crisis: Jewish Society at the End of the Middle Ages, Syracuse University Press, →ISBN, page 115:

Small-town rabbis, therefore, sometimes lived in conditions of poverty, despite their right to supplement their income with payments for drawing up tnaim (for engaged couples) and marriage contracts...

2000, Dov Levin, The Litvaks: A Short History of the Jews in Lithuania, Berghahn Books, →ISBN, page 59:

After the tna'im (nuptial agreement) is witnessed, the mothers of the bride and groom hold and break a plate, and the bridegroom shatters a glass at the end of the wedding ceremony.

2017, Velvel Pasternak, Behind the Music, Stories, Anecdotes, Articles and Reflections, page 197:

(Judaism) An informal document containing the terms and expectations for a betrothed couple.


cybersanctions

In its brief history, there are already some examples of interstate cybersanctions.

2015, Paul Webster Hare, Making Diplomacy Work, page 306:

It was only a “technical fix, planned under Obama, to avoid any unintended consequences of cybersanctions,” as an embarrassed Alexander noted in a follow-up tweet later in the day.

2019, L. Brent Bozell III, Tim Graham, Unmasked: Big Media's War Against Trump:

Sanctions imposed by means of the Internet or cyberspace.


drunken noodles

Could someone please post the receipe^([sic]) for a popular Thai restaurant dish called "Drunken Noodles" (I know it has fresh basil, chicken and noodles)?

[1991 June 5, Hillel Sommer, “REQUEST: Thai Drunken Noodles & Chinese Sesame Noodles”, in rec.food.recipes (Usenet), retrieved 2022-04-03:

[…] that sometimes I get out of bed at night / and drive to town / for drunken noodles, three peppers hot, because I have to have them, / right away. […]

2007 August 5, Nancy Henry, “Even Though”, in Our Lady of Let's All Sing, Kennebunk: Sheltering Pines Press, →ISBN, page 65, second printing:

They serve a mix of Thai and Hawaiian cuisines created by Chef Athiraj Phrasa-vath […] and feature fancied-up versions of classic street food dishes such as Drunken Noodles with yellow curry sauce, lobster, and, in an unusual touch of decadence, cognac.

2020 Spring/Summer, Marie-Ève Venne, “Best of Montreal: New Bars & Resturants”, in Luisa Tarantino, editor, Dress to Kill Magazine, number 48, Montréal: DTK Media, →ISSN, page 83:

A spicy Thai dish made with wide, flat rice noodles, meat, vegetables, and basil.


Ushpizin

bor

Hebrew אושפיזין

In the Syrian tradition the eight stanzas, honoring the seven Ushpizin plus Elisha and Melekh hamashi'ah, are assigned to different worshipers to recite.

1996, Macy Nulman, The Encyclopedia of Jewish Prayer, page 322:

the seven guests who spiritually visit the sukkah during Sukkot.


Gaagudju

An Australian Aboriginal people of the Northern Territory.


elears

Borrowed from Polish elearzy, from Hungarian előharcos (literally “leading warrior”), from elő- (“leading”) + harcos (“warrior”); or from előjáró, an alternative form of elöljáró (“superior”).

der

(historical) The Lisowczyks (Polish cavalry assembled by Lisowski).


summerteeth

An ellipsis of various expressions involving ...some of her teeth, under the influence of summer. Compare butterface.

She's a lovely girl but she's got summerteeth—some are still there, but some ain't.

Always be careful handling your oars or you'll end up with a case of summerteeth.

I glance over and see Mia smiling. "At least it's not some creepy old dude with a bald head and missing teeth."
Shaking my head, I chuckle. "I can't say if he's a toothless wonder or if he has summer teeth. I'm just saying it's a male."

(US, colloquial, humorous) A partially incomplete set of teeth.


meslings

en-noun

meslings pl (normally plural, singular mesling)


measlings

measlings pl (normally plural, singular measling)

Unknown, but probably via pluralia tantum Scandinavian words like Danish mæslinger (“measles”), Icelandic mislingar (“measles”) and Norwegian Nynorsk meslingar, combining the Germanic roots related to blood blisters with the suffix -ing.

‘What āals yar barn, Missis?’
‘Shoo’s gotten t’mezlings!’

1862, C. Clough Robinson, The Dialect of Leeds & Its Neighbourhood, page 358:

Measlings, measles.

1890, The New Sydenham Society's Lexicon of Medicine and the Allied Sciences, s.v.:

Measlings... Nf [i.e. Norfolk].

1970, Harold Orton et al., Survey of English Dialects, volume III, page 832:

(UK dialect) Synonym of measles: the disease caused by M. morbillivirus, the red spots caused by the disease.


mean streets

mean streets pl (normally plural, singular mean street)

Mr Squeers began to thrust his head out of the window every half-minute, and to bawl a variety of directions to the coachman; and after passing, with some difficulty, through several mean streets which the appearance of the houses and the bad state of the road denoted to have been recently built, Mr Squeers suddenly tugged at the check string with all his might, and cried, 'Stop!'

1838 March – 1839 October, Charles Dickens, chapter 38, in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1839, →OCLC:

While it is not a city of slums, as some people imagine, it may well be said to be one gigantic slum. From the standpoint of simple decency and clean manhood and womanhood, any mean street, of all its mean streets, is a slum.

1903 October, Jack London, chapter 19, in The People of the Abyss, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:

Expectant dog 'Lucky' lived up to her name when a Blackburn woman came to her rescue after being abandoned on the mean streets of Manchester.

1997 August 21, “Lucky to be alive”, in Lancashire Telegraph, UK, retrieved 2022-04-15:

In the early 1980s,[…] I was a reporter at The Philadelphia Inquirer trying to act fearless covering the mean streets of a city with more mean ones than perhaps any in America.

2007 March 4, Buzz Bissinger, “Philadelphia Stories”, in New York Times, retrieved 2022-04-15:

The city deserves a failing grade for waste bins. […] [W]e’ve noticed an increasing number that are missing plastic side panels, exposing the metal framework and furthering our conclusion that they aren't tough enough for Toronto's mean streets.

2012 November 13, Jack Lakey, “The Fixer: City trash bins should be tossed in the garbage, and the old ones brought back”, in The Star, Canada, retrieved 2022-04-15:

“New York City used to be known for our mean streets, but, going forward, we’re going to be known for our clean streets,” Adams said in June.

2023 September 4, Adam Gabbatt, quoting Eric Adams, “‘Rat tours’ boom in rodent-infested New York”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

(of an urban environment) A district or set of locales in which there is a high incidence of poverty, crime, disrepair, antisocial behavior, or other adverse conditions.


Tocobaga

(historical) The people of the Tocobaga chiefdom, or (loosely) any native peoples of the immediate Tampa Bay area during the first Spanish colonial period (1513-1763).


Four Species

The four plant-parts shaken as a unit on Sukkot


Miltoniana

Objects, materials, or documents relating to the English poet John Milton (1608–1674).


Albanenses

(historical) A Cathar sect of absolute dualists in Italy in the 12th and 13th centuries.


fire people

So this is yet another point to consider, get the fire people to inspect the premises before you take them on - and this applies to purchasing property as well making sure that you will not be made to spend a lot of money before you can use the premises for surgery purposes.

1982, Peter Farthing, Diary of a Squat: All about Starting a Dental Practice, Easicast Publications, →ISBN, page 38:

But we had it, it was in the house when we bought it and we - we did whatever you do to activate the fire alarm, you know, tied into that. Smoke detectors and all. If it went off, it can call the fire people like that, but we never, you know, set it.

2003, Don Gentile, David Wright, JonBenet: The Police Files, American Media, →ISBN, page 184:

I said I had better rush to the security post to go and get the fire people; the Fire Department said they had no vehicle with functional tyres and this, interestingly, was after Professor Odunuga and the rest of us after the fire incident of '95 at the Faculty of Arts Annexe had insisted the fire officers must always be at alert.

2003, Dapọ Adelugba, Dapọ Adelugba on Theatre Practice in Nigeria, Ibadan Cultural Studies Group, →ISBN, page 293:

'Did you call the fire people?' Angela nodded, and pointed across the road, where an Egyptian couple stood outside the house watching the fire. 'I got them to call,' she said.

2010, James Becker, The Messiah Secret, Random House, →ISBN, page 227:

The barn blew up. It did not fly apart, but it was a mass of flame in seconds. “Jesus!” said Du Pré, “Call 911. Get the fire people here.”

2012, Peter Bowen, Ash Child, Open Road Media, →ISBN, page 88:

He was in wide-eyed conversation with a woman in a fire outfit. 'Scott's shop's burned down, Margaret. We've had a bit of a shock.' 'But it's our family business, and I'm not letting it ruin the night, am I? Scott'll have to stay here anyway to talk to the fire people.

2020, Caroline Hulse, Like A House On Fire: ‘Brilliantly funny - I loved it' Beth O'Leary, author of The Flatshare, Hachette UK, →ISBN, page 304:


wokerati

Here comes the California Wokerati —headquartered in Berkeley, Santa Cruz, Westwood, and the Castro, backed by Malibu and Menlo-Atherton money—to cancel you for being Literally Hitler.

2020, Michael Anton, The Stakes: America at the Point of No Return, unnumbered page:

The wokerati have been at work again. Tate Britain has just opened what should be an extremely enjoyable Hogarth exhibition. […] Curators should be thrilled to have assembled such material for our delectation. Instead, it seems they don’t want us to enjoy the experience.

2021 November 12, Rachel Campbell-Johnston, “Must every exhibition drive a bulldozer over the past?”, in The Times, UK:

When “trans activists” criticize others' claims or arguments, we are presumed to be doing so not because we have considered them and found them lacking, but because, as members of the “Twitter red guard” and the “wokerati” […]

2022, Veronica Ivy, B. R. George, “Public Philosophy and Trans Activism”, in Ian Olasov, Lee McIntyre, Nancy McHugh, editors, A Companion to Public Philosophy, unnumbered page:

(slang, derogatory) Social-justice activists or woke people as a collective.


antiheroics

In a Black cultural mythology sense, exploring the prospect of antiheroics in Ali's life is a […]

2022, James L. Conyers, Jr., Christel N. Temple, Muhammad Ali in Africana Cultural Memory:

It seems, then, that in order to reveal the antiheroic mode in women characters, a different hermeneutic strategy is needed, as women's antiheroics (that is, antiheroinism) is manifested differently from that of men.

2022, Yael Levy, Chick TV: Antiheroines and Time Unbound, page 10:


Aphthartodocetae

From Ancient Greek Ἀφθαρτοδοκῆται (Aphthartodokêtai).

bor

Ἀφθαρτοδοκῆται

(historical) A sixth-century non-Chalcedonian sect who believed that Christ's body was always incorruptible and only perished by Christ's conscious willing decision.


Audeniana

Objects, materials, or documents relating to the poet W. H. Auden.


Spenseriana

Objects, materials, or documents relating to the poet Edmund Spenser.


tawnies

(obsolete) Clothes made of tawny-coloured fabric.


Napoleonic Wars

A series of wars (1803–1815) between France (ruled by Napoleon) and other European countries.


night sweats

(medicine) The repeated occurrence of excessive sweating during sleep.


old people

‘You don't see them figs nowhere else up here. And it didn't get here by accident neither. Them old people planted her beside the springs in a sheltered place against the rocks hundreds of years back.’

2002, Alex Miller, Journey to the Stone Country, Allen & Unwin, published 2003, page 273:

(Australia) Aboriginal people of earlier generations, or living in a traditional manner, as regarded by their descendants as repositories of traditional knowledge.


NEETbux

4Chan posters have admiringly started to call Yang’s Freedom Dividend proposal “NEETbux.”

2019 March 6, Sam Stein, Will Sommer, “How Little Known Andrew Yang May End Up on the 2020 Debate Stage by Gaming the System”, in Daily Beast:

One user argues for why someone could be both blackpilled and socialists with the argument “Maybe because of NEETbux? [Unemployment payments] Or the principle of redistributing resources to those who have least, pussy being just another resource?”

2021, Hugo Engholm, The lack of looks, Uppsala University:

(Internet slang, humorous, often derogatory) Money paid to NEETs through welfare schemes.


orchestra stalls

en-noun

orchestra stalls pl (normally plural, singular orchestra stall)


Wakhi

From Wakhi Xik, but ultimately comes from Khotanese Xik.
Most likely derived from Old Iranian Khotanese, an Iranian language spoken throughout the Pamir range. The word Xik came to be known as Baxi in Wakhi.

A Pamiri ethnic group residing in the Pamir Mountains.


yarbles

yarbles pl (normally plural, singular yarble)

Green's Dictionary of Slang
Nadsat
rhyming slang

Yarbles was coined by Anthony Burgess in 1962, when he introduced it within the invented slang Nadsat found in his dystopian novel A Clockwork Orange. The word is generally understood to be a derivation from Russian яблоко (jabloko, “apple”), owing to the variant form "yarblockos" used within the same novel. Jabloko does not have the equivalent vulgar connotation among Russian speakers, although яйца (jajca, literally “eggs”) does, which may have influenced the word. Green's Dictionary of Slang posits possible alternate origins as yarb + balls: a combination of the antiquated, sometimes-derogatory English dialect word yarb with the vulgar colloquialism balls. Others have suggested a connection, via the methods of English rhyming slang, to marbles.

James Brown looked a tool on C4's Withnail Weekend. Brown's crew at Loaded was credited with inventing the Withnail drinking game "I Demand to Have Some Booze". Utter yarbles. Fact: the game, where viewers simultaneously enjoy beverages identical to those consumed by characters on screen, was introduced by a journalist on the Evening Standard's London Life section in the mid-1980s.

1999 August 1, “Pandora”, in The Independent, London:

(slang, mildly vulgar, euphemistic, uncountable) Information that is false or otherwise misleading.


disjecta membra

Alteration of Horace’s Latin phrase disjecti membra poetae (“limbs of a dismembered poet”).

[…]though the whole construction be taken to pieces, are still the disjecta membra, with which the work of renovation must be begun.

1805 January 26, B., “To the Right Honourable William Windham: Upon Our Military Force, Particularly That of the Volunteers”, in Cobbett’s Weekly Political Register, volume VII, number 6, London, published 9 February 1805, column 201:

A thoughtful spirit drifting upon this tide in a large city like Paris cannot but often think of this, and shiver with the feeling that beneath and all around are scattered thickly, if invisibly, putrescent corpses and whitening skeletons. But sometimes strange things do come to the surface—featureless, formless, unrecognizable objects, upon which men gaze wonderingly, conjecturingly, but unknowingly; and which are in reality the disjecta membra of ghastly things over whose hideousness the unquiet billows once mercifully swept. In the large boarding houses of focal points of civilization like Paris, where are gathered together representatives from every clime under the sun, and where the waves of life come beating in to a common center from many a distant sea, these disjecta membra float oftener than in more tranquil waters;

1876 December 20, Moise, “Our Paris Letter. […]”, in The Inter Ocean, volume V, number 253, Chicago, Ill., published 13 January 1877, page 9:

One can hardly realize the confusion in a genuine, old Genizah until one has seen it. It is a battlefield of books, and the literary productions of many centuries had their share in the battle, and their disjecta membra are now strewn over its area. Some of the belligerents have perished outright, and are literally ground to dust in the terrible struggle for space, whilst others, as if overtaken by a general crush, are squeezed into big, unshapely lumps, which even with the aid of chemical appliances can no longer be separated without serious damage to their constituents. In their present condition these lumps sometimes afford curiously suggestive combinations; as, for instance, when you find a piece of some rational work, in which the very existence of either angels or devils is denied, clinging for its very life to an amulet in which these same beings (mostly the latter) are bound over to be on their good behavior and not interfere with Miss Jair’s love for somebody.

1897 August 3, Solomon Schechter, “A Hoard of Hebrew MSS [=Manuscripts] .”, in The Times, page 13:

As she led the way westward past a long line of areas which, through the distortion of their paintless rails, revealed with increasing candour the disjecta membra of bygone dinners, Lily felt that Rosedale was taking contemptuous note of the neighbourhood;

1905, Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth, Charles Scribner’s Sons, page 474:

I knew more about “disjecta membra” than a butcher or a furniture mover. That was a great phrase of mine—disjecta membra—I used to work it off on my friends, I have never since had such a chance to play with it till today. “There,” I would say to them, quietly, just like that, “there are the Elgin marbles, disjecta membra.”

1927 October 27, C. B. Pyper, “About Pictures”, in The Winnipeg Evening Tribune, volume XXXVIII, number 257, Winnipeg, Man., page 4:

Notes are strewn about like disjecta membra;

1959, Aaron Copland, The Pleasures of Music, the University of New Hampshire, page 21:

Disjecta membra scattered everywhere, unrecognisable, through my oeuvre: complex, trivial, true.

Newcomers to her work would not see what the fuss is about, for all the inventiveness and nimble versification of this disjecta membra; a number of pieces crumble away or have too many lacunae to be truly satisfying.

2006 December 17, Stephen Knight, “That Ted Hughes, he’s hot stuff”, in The Independent, number 877, page 26:

Scattered fragments, especially of written work.


Macaulay's children

Sanatani

a devout Hindu who values traditionalist Hinduism

From Thomas Babington Macaulay, a British politician who made English the language used by higher levels of formal education in India. The term refers to his views towards traditional Indian culture and the Hindu religion, which he described as stagnant and unfit for the modern world.

(India, derogatory, slang, politics, ethnic slur) Indian people who reject their native culture in favour of westernization.


finger chips

finger chips pl (normally plural, singular finger chip)

For dinner, you could choose between Indian and Continental. I picked the latter and feasted on crumb-fried fish, a roast chicken with a few strands of noodles floating in the gravy, bread, boiled vegetables, and a couple of thick-cut finger chips.

2023 April 14, Priyadarshini Chatterjee, “Indian Railways food and its regional makeover: will the gamble pay off?”, in The Hindu, archived from the original on 2023-04-15:


Mehri

A Semitic ethnic group primarily inhabiting South Arabia and the Guardafui Channel island of Socotra.


trackie bottoms

It's hard to imagine her in her downtime, slobbing around in front of Come Dine With Me in a pair of trackie bottoms, arguing over the remote control

2012, Eleanor Moran, The Last Time I Saw You:


Heruli

(historical) An early Germanic people, mentioned by ancient Roman authors as one of several "Scythian" groups raiding Roman provinces in the Balkans and the Aegean Sea, attacking by land and sea.


Lovecraftiana

Objects, materials, or documents relating to H. P. Lovecraft (1890–1937), American author of fantasy, horror, and science fiction.


Deg Xit'an

An Athabaskan people of Alaska that speak the Deg Xinag language.


Manolos

Named after Spanish fashion designer Manolo Blahnik (1942–), from Spanish Manolo.

named-after

For many wearers and fans, Manolos are the sexiest of shoes. Joan Rivers is said to have noted, “You just put on your Manolos, and you automatically find yourself saying ‘Hi, sailor’ to every man that walks by.”

2009, Margo DeMello, Feet and Footwear: A Cultural Encyclopedia, ABC-CLIO, →ISBN, page 41:

She clipped away on a pair of Manolos.

2020, Emily Segal, Mercury Retrograde, New York: Deluge Books, →ISBN:

(fashion) A pair of shoes designed by Manolo Blahnik.


Hamptons

After the common ending of its constituent towns, Southampton, East Hampton, etc. Southampton was the first to be named, possibly in honor of Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, or alternatively because many of its inhabitants originated from Southampton, England.

Richmond upon Thames
Richmond upon Thames#English

The Hamptons, the areas of Hampton, Hampton Hill, Hampton Court and Hampton Wick in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Greater London, England.


Babine

A dialect of the Babine-Witsuwitʼen language.


Lutyens' media

From Edwin Lutyens, a British architect who designed the city of New Delhi, which was also known as "Lutyens' Delhi".
Because it contained the Parliament building, it was also known as "Lutyens' zone", and the name "Lutyens" became associated with leftist politicians.

(India, derogatory, slang, Hindutva) Leftist-aligned mass media.


jockey briefs

Stripped to his jockey briefs, he felt a coolness he had so wanted earlier.

1988, Leoncio P. Deriada, Night Mares: And Other Stories of Fantasy and Horror, page 117:

"One afternoon I'd been shopping for underwear," he wrote, "and had bought at least three dozen pairs of jockey briefs.

2001, Ben Fong-Torres, The Hits Just Keep on Coming: The History of Top 40 Radio, page 139:

(US, dated, informal) Men's or boys' briefs.


Taïwanese

en-adj

Taïwanese (comparative more Taïwanese, superlative most Taïwanese)

more Taïwanese (comparative)
most Taïwanese (superlative)

Borrowed from French taïwanais. Equivalent to Taïwan + -ese.

Who'll get their revenge with a taïwanese woman in Bush's government and the taïwanese going bezerk with direct access to the White House, Pentagon, CIA, FBI, Nuclear Command, Army "I want all the latest stuff to set up on the Straits between Taïwan and China" weapons shopping mall.

2001 January 13, Geir, “Something to think about ...”, in alt.religion.buddhism.tibetan (Usenet), retrieved 2022-05-24:

Ialso play as straight soprano on a taïwanese "Cleveland" srictly copied on MK VI (the real ones, notre the 6.5 models after #210.000): it's a fine horn, for tuning, tone, mechanics, much better than the Selmer Serie II I resold after few monthes as too heavy with no "soul"

2003 September 1, SaxyBird, “Stagg saxophone”, in alt.music.saxophone (Usenet), retrieved 2022-05-24:

Taïwan is not part of the United-Nations for historical reasons, since China took the place of its reprentatives in the United-Nations. Taïwan is not a recognized state. The Taïwanese flag does not have international recognition.

2004 May 5, Jean-Michel POURE, “Re: Resignation”, in linux.debian.maint.boot (Usenet), retrieved 2022-05-24:

(non-native speakers' English) Taiwanese.


Taïwanese

(non-native speakers' English) The people of Taiwan.


pribbles and prabbles

Euan. And giuen to Fornications, and to Tauernes, and Sacke, and Wine, and Metheglins, and to drinkings and ſwearings, and ſtarings? Pribles and prables?
Fal. Well, I am your Theame: you haue the ſtart of me, I am deiected.

c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v], page 60, column 1, lines 156–160:


naval stores

From the historic use of the products for ships.

Products obtained from oleoresin obtained from conifers, especially pines.


vibs

On iced rocks, hard-frozen scree, or ledges of wet earth or vegetation, Vibs are treacherous.

The other school of thought (the majority) will wear crampons in vibs — short points flex less — and vibs give better foot insulation than nailed boots.

1970, Climber and Rambler, volume 9, page 67:

(climbing, slang, rare) Shoes with rubber outsoles made by the Vibram company.


snow goggles

Traditional eyewear used to prevent snow blindness, often formed of a piece of driftwood or bone into which one or two horizontal slits have been carved


Zay

An Afroasiatic language of the Semitic branch spoken in Ethiopia.


Quatsino

A Native American group of British Columbia, Canada.


yarblockos

From Russian яблоко (jabloko, “apple”); coined by Anthony Burgess in 1962, when he introduced it within the invented slang Nadsat found in his dystopian novel A Clockwork Orange.

The police, only barely adept at directing automated traffic, need an action hero to contain Snipes. But the only one around with yarblockos of sufficient mettle—Sly, of course, as former tough-guy cop Sgt. John Spartan—has himself been on ice for the last 25 or 30 years.

1993 December, Sheli Teitelbaum, “Stallone Demolition Man”, in Cinefantastique, volume 24, number 5, Forest Park, Illinois: Algol Press, →ISSN, page 16:

(slang, mildly vulgar, figurative, uncountable, rare) Courage, fortitude, or machismo.


sumptuaries

From sumptuary (adjective) + -ies (variant of -es (suffix forming the regular plurals of nouns)).

Archaeologists are good at identifying chiefly societies in several orthodox ways. The primary ways highlight material patterns which indicate ranking and differential access to resources (e.g., variability in sumptuaries, better diet, elite tombs, central places, monuments, etc.).

2013, George F. Lau, “Familiar Others: Kin, Collectivity and Authority”, in Ancient Alterity in the Andes: A Recognition of Others, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, New York, N.Y.: Routledge, →OCLC, page 60:

(chiefly anthropology) Things (especially luxurious or sumptuous possessions) that a person owns.


chord changes

He arrived at my flat one sunny spring afternoon and I played him what I had, humming the vocal melody over the chord changes I’d already written.

2014, Gary Wright, “There Goes the Sun”, in Dream Weaver, Jeremy P. Tarcher, →ISBN:

(more specifically) A chord progression.


peot

Borrowed from Hebrew פּאות (pe'ot) or Yiddish פּאות (peyes).

With box or beads or peyiss, / Let each do his own thing.

1968, Jewish Currents, volume 22, page 18:

'Manny? Sweet? Manny doesn't do sweet.'
'Every man does sweet, Max. Even weird ones with payess.'

He showed me the items in his den, or “trophy room” — the cardboard cutout of Sinatra wearing Jewish payos, the portrait of King made entirely of jelly beans, his Emmy for Lifetime Achievement.

2015 August 29, Mark Leibovich, The New York Times:

Sidelocks worn by Hasidic and Orthodox male Jews.

pejzy

sidelocks worn by Hasidic and Orthodox male Jews


SOGICE

There are fundamental ethical concerns about whether youths consent to SOGICE and whether they understand the inherent risks to their short- and long-term mental health.

2020 August, Jessica N. Fish, Stephen T. Russell, “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Change Efforts are Unethical and Harmful”, in American Journal of Public Health, volume 110, number 8, page 113:

It is imperative that psychologists/therapists avoid colluding with client requests for SOGICE as these methods consistently have been shown to be ineffective and place individuals at significant risk of serious harm according to APA resolutions […]

2021, Darren J. Freeman-Coppadge, Khashayar Farhadi Langroudi, “Beyond LGBTQ-Affirmative Therapy: Fostering Growth and Healing Through Intersectionality”, in Kevin L. Nadal, María R. Scharrón-del Río, editors, Queer Psychology: Intersectional Perspectives, page 161:

As of August 2021, 25 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have instituted bans on or executive orders protecting minors from SOGICE; […]

2022 May, Anna Forsythe, Casey Pick, Gabriel Tremblay, “Humanistic and Economic Burden of Conversion Therapy Among LGBTQ Youths in the United States”, in JAMA Pediatrics, volume 176, number 5, page 494:

sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts#English

Initialism of sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts.


closing costs

(finance, real estate) Fees which are paid at the conclusion or closing of a real estate transaction.


organs of generation

The Goddess again comes to his rescue and pieces him together, but she cannot find his phallus, for disincarnate specters on the astral do not possess the physical organs of generation.

1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality and the Origins of Culture, London: Rider/Hutchinson & Co., page 235:


aviator shades

aviator sunglasses
aviator sunglasses#English


hackerazzi

Cybercriminals who hack into celebrities' online accounts to obtain private details to be published in the press.


Chevrons

(cricket) The Zimbabwe national cricket team.


Jillaroos

(rugby league) The Australia women's national rugby league team.


Rhinos

(cricket) The Bangladesh national cricket team.


Kangaroos

(rugby league) The Australia national rugby league team.


Men in Blue

(cricket) The India national cricket team.


Baggy Greens

(rugby league) The Australia national cricket team.


Southern Stars

(cricket) The Australia women's national cricket team.


Kumuls

From Tok Pisin kumul (“bird of paradise”).

(rugby league, plural only) The Papua New Guinea national rugby league team.


White Ferns

(cricket) The New Zealand women's national cricket team.


qlippot

And the rungs of the souls and the angels, what heaven and hell are all about. What the qlippot [shells] are and the sparks they contain which need to be freed to return to their holy sources.

1998, David Meltzer, editor, The Secret Garden, Station Hill Arts/Barrytown, →ISBN, page 167:

lovely, though I have found exceptions to the last who speculate that the kleppah or qlippot are underworld roots, extending into Malkuth or that Malkuth is made up of Her former glory's fragments, spotted, as it were, or interfused with shell fragments and nodes of qlippotic energy, intelligence, and influence.

2002 April 10, naga...yronwode.spamcom, “Ql'pp'th/Shells and Kabbalistic Evil (was Beg. Enoch)”, in alt.occult.kabbalah.golden-dawn (Usenet):

recently someone told me that they thought that the qlippot orders/spirits/genii were somehow related to the goetic spirits.

2008 August 9, nocTifer, “Re: Goetic Evocation/Invocation... views?”, in alt.magick.tyagi (Usenet):

In practice, the qlippot are as much gateways to the Other Side as specific marmas or sandhis.

2013, Peter Levenda, The Dark Lord, Nicolas-Hays, Inc., →ISBN, page 264:


Blue Tigers

(soccer) The India national football team.


Black Caps

(plural only) The New Zealand national cricket team.


Bengal Tigers

(soccer) The Bangladesh national football team.


straight A's

He always gets straight A's; he must study a lot.

(education, chiefly US) Grades or marks that are consistently A's.


Gorkhalis

(cricket) The Nepal national cricket team.


urogenitals

Urogenitals of Primitive Fishes (Selachii).

1879, Ernst Haeckel, The Evolution of Man, volume 2, page 429:


Piscataway

By naturalization into English from the Piscataway language.

A certain tribe of Native Americans inhabiting what is now Maryland.


electric dice

This is a game in which the electric dice are particularly useful to the sharp.

2019, John Nevil Maskelyne, Sharps and Flats:

(gambling, slang) A cheater's dice that contain metal slugs and are influenced by a magnet.


scenetics

The beautiful meadows set the mood
 As most scenetics do

2001, Timothy Earwood, The Great Expansion: Prose and Poetry, page 47:

Once they ingest the medicine, we work on their loop thinking, toxic patterns, and repetitive scenetics.

2020, David Heska Wanbli Weiden, Winter Counts, page 81:

The study or practice of managing the effect of setting on one's mental state.


These diplomatic setbacks partly explain England’s military ineffectiveness in the 1370s, but equally important were lack of leadership, lack of money, and dissension over strategy. After Poitiers, the king, traditionally expected to lead the nation in arms, became less and less adequately able to do so. In the 1370s he declined into senility and fell under the domination of his mistress, Alice Perrers.

1974, Anthony Tuck, “The Political Community in 1377”, in Richard II and the English Nobility, New York: St. Martin's Press, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 7:

Yang Yunwen died in office as magistrate of Ch'ang-yuan County, Honan, in the 1370s.

1996, John W. Dardess, “The Demography of Family and Class”, in A Ming Society: Tʻai-ho County, Kiangsi, Fourteenth to Seventeenth Centuries, University of California Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 105:

Walsingham was not blind to Edward’s failings, and attributed the political problems of the 1370s directly to the old king’s moral depravity.

2000, “Introduction”, in The Reign of Edward III, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 10:

teens · twenties · thirties · forties · fifties · sixties · seventies · eighties · nineties

Gay Nineties · Naughty Nineties · Roaring Twenties · Dirty Thirties · Swinging Sixties


Camoenae

(Roman mythology) Alternative form of Camenae


Camenae

(Roman mythology) A group of prophetic goddesses associated with childbirth, wells, and fountains.


guns and butter

With colleagues clamouring for money, it suits him to say we cannot have both guns and butter.

2001 October 1, David Walker, “Guns or butter? A hard choice for Gordon Brown”, in The Guardian:

Having to service demands for both guns and butter, the US economy began to overheat; inflation ensued.

2022, Gary Gerstle, chapter 2, in The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order […] , New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, Part I. The New Deal Order, 1930–1980:

Defense and social government spending, especially when seen as a trade-off.


15 minutes of shame

Blend of 15 minutes of fame + shame, because of the rhyme.

It's all how you handle your 15 minutes of fame or your 15 minutes of shame. If you do enough good deeds, then eventually people will forget the fool you made of yourself or the mistakes you made in the past.

2016, Tony A. Gaskins, Jr., The Dream Chaser, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 214:

(uncommon, humorous) A very short time in a negative spotlight of shame in individuals who have been subjected to public criticism and humiliation.