disentrain

en-verb

disentrain (third-person singular simple present disentrains, present participle disentraining, simple past and past participle disentrained)

disentrains (present singular third-person)
disentraining (participle present)
disentrained (participle past)
disentrained (past)

Because dexamethasone and naloxone successfully reduce body weight, blood lipid and glucose levels, and blood pressure in Obese/SHR (to be published), the question arose whether prevention of corpulency by daily exercise would also disentrain the genetically programmed obesity and hypertension.

1983, Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine

In particular, hypnotic dissociation appears to disentrain the conscious facility responsible for our "free won't," the neurological circuitry that enables us to voluntarily suppress impulses that are on the verge of being executed.

2008, Edward Watts Morton Bever, The realities of witchcraft and popular magic in early modern Europe

The administration of subsequent AED(s) (lorazepam in the first patient, fentanyl and propofol in the second patient) dynamically disentrained the brain (statistically high T-index values were attained and sustained).

2010, Wanpracha Chaovalitwongse, Panos M. Pardalos, Petros Xanthopoulos, Computational Neuroscience

(more generally) To disrupt a body's homeostatic patterns.


Eurocreep

en-noun

Eurocreep (countable and uncountable, plural Eurocreeps)

'John doesn't speak any French', explained the wife of one highly-placed British Eurocreep, 'and his secretary is French, so of course that makes things quite difficult for him.'

1983, Rosalind Miles, Danger!: Men at Work, page 198

The Eurocreeps have written for her a really loathsome text, wallowing in rejection of our own national identity, which has come up to me for comment in the trade context.

2011, Alan Clark, Ion Trewin, Alan Clark: A Life in his Own Words

The Bruge speech of September 1988 did not turn out as the 'Eurocreeps' had intended. Instead of making the 'positive' statement on Europe that the foreign secretary had hoped for when he first suggested she make the speech, Thatcher delivered her most celebrated attack on the European Community.

2013, Richard Vinen, Thatcher's Britain: The Politics and Social Upheaval of the Thatcher Era

(countable, by extension, derogatory) A proponent, in the 1980s, of closer ties between Britain and the European community.


stick the landing

en-verb

stick the landing (third-person singular simple present sticks the landing, present participle sticking the landing, simple past and past participle stuck the landing)

sticks the landing (present singular third-person)
sticking the landing (participle present)
stuck the landing (participle past)
stuck the landing (past)

This was a big speech with a high degree of difficulty. And, Don Jr. stuck the landing.

2016 July 19, Chris Cillizza, “Winners and losers from the second night of the Republican National Convention”, in Los Angeles Times, retrieved 2018-05-01

In the end, the third season of Fargo stuck the landing so well that its missteps seem more like scars on fine leather than signs of a show in decline.

2017 June 21, Scott Tobias, “Fargo Season 3 Finale: Bled Out”, in New York Times, retrieved 2018-05-01

(idiomatic, by extension) To complete a process in an impressive and conclusive manner.


split the blanket

split the blanket (third-person singular simple present splits the blanket, present participle splitting the blanket, simple past and past participle split the blanket)

splits the blanket (present singular third-person)
splitting the blanket (participle present)
split the blanket (participle past)
split the blanket (past)

"Well, I reckon that splits the blanket," said Will. "Now he knows we ain't buyin' his shakedown, I reckon he'll loose them pet Comanches on us."

1992, Ralph Compton, The Goodnight Trail: The Trail Drive, page 24

Jimmy Johnson had the most complete control of the team when he was here. Why do you think that Jones and Johnson split the blanket?..hmmm?...Jones wanted complete control and Johnson didnt want him to have it.

1997 September 19, King Consultant, “This is a test of TRUE character”, in alt.sports.football.pro.dallas-cowboys (Usenet)

He argued that the military and empire spending are the most feasible place to build a consensus on budget cuts, but, “here is where the Tea Party and War Party split the blanket. . . "

2013, Yuri Maltsev, Roman Skaskiw, The Tea Party Explained: From Crisis to Crusade, page 115

(by extension) To dissolve a partnership.


Boardwalk

Properties named after streets in Atlantic City


happy landings

en-noun

happy landings pl (normally plural, singular happy landing)

But one set of Washington policies is all happy landings: the Government's campaign to stop skyjackers is working.

1973 June 18, “American Notes: Eureka! Something Works!”, in Time, retrieved 2018-06-05

He missed much of his senior year, drifted, but finally graduated. He hasn't gone to college and realizes now that he wants that experience. […] Some of these stories have happy landings.

2002, Andrea Van Steenhouse, Empty Nest...Full Heart: The Journey from Home to College, page 47

(idiomatic, by extension) Successful outcome or outcomes.


cover-slut

Krio: kabaslot (“loose-fitting dress”)

From cover + slut (“slovenly, untidy person”).

compound

Fie, madam, you'll ruin the sex! Husband, say ye? A mere thing—a cover-slut of custom!

1690, John Wilson, Belphegor, act 2, scene 3; republished in The Dramatic Works of John Wilson, Edinburgh: William Paterson, 1874, page 320

(obsolete, by extension, figurative) Any surface appearance hiding something underneath.


Dow Jones

Example stock market indices: Dow Jones Industrial Average, Dow Jones Transportation Average, Dow Jones Utility Average, Dow Jones Composite Average, Dow Jones Global Titans 50.

(stock market, by extension) A stock market index code for the US stock market on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq.


chocks away

And the half-reclining astronaut posture he is forced to adopt breeds sub-conscious fears that any minute now it may be chocks away and blast-off for the Moon.

1970, New Scientist, volumes 48-49, page 61

Since the final "Chocks away!" was not given until after most schools had, perforce, completed their option choice procedures, the TVEI had to compete with choices already settled.

1982, Perspectives, numbers 8-17, page 26

Fowler: Chocks away!

2000 June 23, “Fowler”, in Chicken Run (2000)

She thought of the way Pop shouted 'Chocks away, mate!' before he stamped on the accelerator and they shot like Apollo 13 down Worcester Lane, their heads trailing over the backs of the seats with the G force.

Saying goodbye like World War II fighter pilots. Well, this is it, old man. Cheerio, old chap. Take care now. Goodbye, old sock. Toodleoo, old thing. Chocks away, groover. Chin-chin, old pal! Goodbye for six weeks, until the new term in January.

Chocks away for cocoa which hit a new 18 month high on concerns about excess rains in the top producer Ivory Coast.

2018 April 17, “Ivory Coast rain stokes cocoa supply worries, sending price rising”, in Financial Times

(by extension) A signal of the commencement of a journey or activity.


cry aim

en-verb

cry aim (third-person singular simple present cries aim, present participle crying aim, simple past and past participle cried aim)

cries aim (present singular third-person)
crying aim (participle present)
cried aim (participle past)
cried aim (past)

(obsolete, by extension) To applaud or encourage.


job order

(loosely) Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see job, order.


change tack

change tack (third-person singular simple present changes tack, present participle changing tack, simple past and past participle changed tack)

changes tack (present singular third-person)
changing tack (participle present)
changed tack (participle past)
changed tack (past)

So MySpace has changed tack. What was seen as a competitor to traditional media platforms is starting to resemble one.

2008 January 21, Brian Stelter, “MySpace changes tack to expand”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

Anderson rarely ventured forward in the opening two sets, coming to the net on seven occasions, before changing tack and making 14 approaches in the final set alone.

2018 July 15, Jonathan Jurejko, “Novak Djokovic wins fourth Wimbledon by beating Kevin Anderson”, in BBC Sport

Industry experts are concerned that if the railway doesn't change tack, it would soon find itself out of step with the needs of the nation and in the crosshairs of a Treasury looking to slash spending.

2021 October 20, Ben Jones, “The benefits of (and barriers to) more leisure travel by rail”, in RAIL, number 942, page 32

(figurative, by extension) To take a different approach.

muuttaa suunnitelmaa

(figurative) to take a different approach


lie on the oars

lie on the oars (third-person singular simple present lies on the oars, present participle lying on the oars, simple past lay on the oars, past participle lain on the oars)

lies on the oars (present singular third-person)
lying on the oars (participle present)
lay on the oars (past)
lain on the oars (participle past)

(by extension) To rest; to take a break from working.


skate on

skate on (third-person singular simple present skates on, present participle skates on, simple past and past participle skated on)

skates on (present singular third-person)
skates on (participle present)
skated on (participle past)
skated on (past)

He's been skating on his friendship with the boss, or he'd have been fired a long time ago.

(transitive, by extension from skate on thin ice) To barely hold on or maintain.


pick up the threads of

pick up the threads of (third-person singular simple present picks up the threads of, present participle picking up the threads of, simple past and past participle picked up the threads of)

picks up the threads of (present singular third-person)
picking up the threads of (participle present)
picked up the threads of (participle past)
picked up the threads of (past)

(transitive, by extension) To restart after a disaster or trauma.


rear back

rear back (third-person singular simple present rears back, present participle rearing back, simple past and past participle reared back)

rears back (present singular third-person)
rearing back (participle present)
reared back (participle past)
reared back (past)

(of a person, by extension) To stand, pull back or otherwise reposition oneself, often as a sudden response to a change or in preparation for an imminent reaction.


smack out

smack out (third-person singular simple present smacks out, present participle smacking out, simple past and past participle smacked out)

smacks out (present singular third-person)
smacking out (participle present)
smacked out (participle past)
smacked out (past)

He smacked out a triple.

(transitive, baseball, by extension) To hit a ball very hard.


hedge in

hedge in (third-person singular simple present hedges in, present participle hedging in, simple past and past participle hedged in)

hedges in (present singular third-person)
hedging in (participle present)
hedged in (participle past)
hedged in (past)

She was hedged in by her husband's rules.

It was a promise, but hedged in with so many ifs and buts that I wouldn't rely on it.

(figurative, by extension) To limit or constrain (someone).


dwarfette

This is their [the humpback whales'] breeding season, their calving season too, and they've got enough problems with all the boat and plane and jet ski traffic around Maui without some ridiculous dwarfette water-nerd with terrible eyesight and silly black chicken feet snorkeling around in their bedroom.

1997, Jessica Maxwell, Femme d'Aadventure: Travel Tales from Inner Montana to Outer Mongolia, page 176

All this thanks to her [the statue's] towering stature: nine feet high, practically twice the average height of our national dwarfettes.

2004, Vicente Leñero (trans. Lorna Scott Fox & Rubén Gallo), "La Diana", The Mexico City Reader (ed. Rubén Gallo), page 152

No friggin' way was Dixie the dwarfette going to defeat Tressa Jayne Turner, rodeo queen.

2007, Kathleen Bacus, Calamity Jayne and the Campus Caper, page 203

(informal, by extension) A woman of somewhat short stature, or one who seems small in relation to something larger.


limetwig

From Middle English lime-twig, equivalent to lime + twig.

(by extension) A snare; a trick or device


play the ball and not the man

play the ball and not the man (third-person singular simple present plays the ball and not the man, present participle playing the ball and not the man, simple past and past participle played the ball and not the man)

plays the ball and not the man (present singular third-person)
playing the ball and not the man (participle present)
played the ball and not the man (participle past)
played the ball and not the man (past)

2016 Gareth van Zyl, "Stop lying about me, Johann Rupert tells Julius Malema" fin24, 10 November 2016. Accessed 27 August 2018.
"Billionaire Johann Rupert has called on politicians to play the ball and not the man in his acceptance of the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies Lifetime Achievement Award... “Why attack people instead of debating the issue? Our issues are unemployment and a terrible educational system. It is a disaster,” said Rupert."

‘I would always try and play the ball and not the man when it comes to these things... I think to get personal about it is not helpful at all.’

2018 April 9, Tom Herbert, “Boris Johnson calling Corbyn Russia’s ‘useful idiot’ was ‘not helpful at all’”, in Metro, retrieved 2018-08-27

play the man and not the ball
play the man and not the ball

(by extension, idiomatic, colloquial) To object to someone's argument by attacking the argument itself instead of them or a facet of their personality; to avoid or make the opposite of an ad hominem attack. Usually considered a positive action, and an avoidance of a fallacious argumentative technique. Often used in comparison to play the man and not the ball.


play the man and not the ball

play the man and not the ball (third-person singular simple present plays the man and not the ball, present participle playing the man and not the ball, simple past and past participle played the man and not the ball)

plays the man and not the ball (present singular third-person)
playing the man and not the ball (participle present)
played the man and not the ball (participle past)
played the man and not the ball (past)

""What we are seeing is an orchestrated campaign from the Labor Party to try to play the man and not the ball," he said... "[And] this is the kind of personal attack that we are going to see from the Labor Party right up until polling day.""

2010 April 1, “Abbott denies trying to soften his image”, in The Sydney Morning Herald, retrieved 2018-08-27

"“Claims that the words meant anything other than the “ultimate solution” to any political question is always a popular vote are simply ridiculous,” Anning said... “As I called for a plebiscite on the immigration mix, this baseless and ridiculous criticism is simply an effort to play the man and not the ball”."

2018 August 14, Katharine Murphy, Amy Remeikis, “Australian senator calls for 'final solution to immigration problem'”, in The Guardian, retrieved 2018-08-27

(by extension, idiomatic, colloquial) To object to someone's argument by attacking them or a facet of their personality instead of the argument itself; to make an ad hominem attack.


pakodanomics

From pakoda + -nomics, referencing Narendra Modi's comment in January 2018 that street food vendors should be included in employment statistics.

(by extension, derogatory) Any misleading economic policy to disguise the issue of rising unemployment


flood the zone

flood the zone (third-person singular simple present floods the zone, present participle flooding the zone, simple past and past participle flooded the zone)

floods the zone (present singular third-person)
flooding the zone (participle present)
flooded the zone (participle past)
flooded the zone (past)
followed by with (usually)

While Washington should flood the zone with research funding, it should refrain from trying to pick a winner.

2008 April 17, Bryan Walsh, “How to Win the War on Global Warming”, in Time, retrieved 2018-09-03

Republicans believe that they have a chance of taking control of the Senate in November. […] And big-money conservatives are flooding the zone with cash to ensure victory.

2014 July 6, Charles M. Blow, “Opinion: Ramparts Against Republicans”, in New York Times, retrieved 2018-09-03

[A]s former Trump advisor Stephen K. Bannon so eloquently puts it — “the real opposition is the media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with sh–.”

2018 February 13, Anne Applebaum, “A Russian dissident pulls off a virtuoso trolling of the Putin regime”, in Washington Post, retrieved 2018-09-03

(idiomatic, by extension) To provide a very large quantity (of something).


unclockable

en-adj

unclockable (comparative more unclockable, superlative most unclockable)

more unclockable (comparative)
most unclockable (superlative)

...plants a stake that casts no shadow, and who himself stands there unclockable, beyond the nothing-new reach of the sun.

2010, The Malahat Review - Issues 170-173, page 54

It causes stomach pain, weight loss, diarrhea, fatigue, and more, but is largely unclockable to an outsider's gaze.

2018 June 21, Ione Gamble, “Online, I'm the Picture of Health. Offline, I Have a Chronic Illness”, in Vice

(more generally) Unreadable; undetectable.


weighten

en-verb

weighten (third-person singular simple present weightens, present participle weightening, simple past and past participle weightened)

weightens (present singular third-person)
weightening (participle present)
weightened (participle past)
weightened (past)

Efforts were made to cheer the King, and rouse him from the depression with which his sorrows began to weighten him.

1880, Charles Octavius S. Morgan, Historical traditions and facts relating to Newport and Caerleon

That saturating hopelessness of the wholly corrupt state, the invisible but dense fog which weightens the movements of all within it, on this night, just before an election, with everyone turning out in a beautiful venue on a sunny evening, that hopelessness seemed imperceptibly to be lifting.

2017, Dominic Dromgoole, Hamlet: Globe to Globe: Two Years, 190,000 Miles, 197 Countries, One Play

(transitive, by extension) To weigh down


route-march

Anna, she sensed, was the kind of indomitable woman who could go on a route-march for seven days and nights without sleeping.

1998, Jill Neville, The Love Germ, page 121

(by extension, informal) A long grueling walk.


iatropic

en-adj

iatropic (comparative more iatropic, superlative most iatropic)

more iatropic (comparative)
most iatropic (superlative)

Further, study of reference sources will give insight into iatropic problems, (i.e., Different professionals see the same situation from different viewpoints and may therefore draw different conclusions.)

1980, Proceedings of International Computer Symposium 1980

One wonders on the other hand if this is not an iatropic problem in that the original theory of plate tectonics is not in some way askew and that the unbending is really not necessary to explain because that is the way it ought to be in any case.

1981, Applied Mechanics Reviews - Volume 34, page 1365

Second, the very act of maintenance, even when performed correctly often induces problems in previously functioning machinery (so-called iatropic maintenance problems) .

2002, D.L. Hall, “Intelligent monitoring of complex systems”, in Advances in Intelligent Systems for Defence

(by extension) Pertaining to professional attention or opinions that cause the need for further professional attention or opinions.


multicameral

multicameral (comparative more multicameral, superlative most multicameral)

more multicameral (comparative)
most multicameral (superlative)

Given the many instances of real-life multicameral institutions and the speculative and atheoretical nature of the literature that portrays power relationships among them, it seems worthwhile to try to develop a deeper and more general understanding of the manner in which they share power that clarifies "discrepancies" such as those considered above.

2013, Steven J. Brams, Game Theory and Politics, page 193

In Laughlin's earlier work, Brain, Symbol and Experience, he defines cosmology as: A culturally conditioned, cognized view of reality as a systemic, multicameral, dynamic, and organic whole.

2013, Lambert Zuidervaart, Allyson Carr, Matthew J. Klaassen, Truth Matters: Knowledge, Politics, Ethics, Religion

We demonstrate that for any power index satisfying a number of standard properties, the index of a player in the multicameral game can be smaller (or greater) than in all the chamber games; this can occur even when the players are ordered the same way by desirability relations in all the chamber games.

2017, Jacek Mercik, Transactions on Computational Collective Intelligence XXVII, page 40

special interest group
special interest group

(by extension) Involving three or more special interest groups or viewpoints.


Big Mac sauce

en-noun

Big Mac sauce (countable and uncountable, plural Big Mac sauces)

From Big Mac + sauce. From being the special sauce used on McDonald's Big Mac meal-sandwich. Originally a popular name, later legitimized as the official name by McDonald's, who previously called it special sauce.

(by extension) Any similar-tasting sauce used on burgers. Synonym of burger sauce.


what wins on Sunday sells on Monday

There's an old saying in the golf industry: What wins on Sunday sells on Monday. Golfers are the ultimate copycats.

2006 April 13, Ed Sherman, “Dual-driver bag is not for duffers”, in Chicago Tribune, retrieved 2018-10-15

(chiefly US, marketing, by extension) Any equipment available to consumers that performs well in widely-viewed public events on weekends can be expected to receive higher retail sales subsequently.


horseface

We got a horseface for a home room teacher.

1941, Israel James Kapstein, Something of a Hero, page 155

Aunt Samantha had shown annoyance at this by puffing her nostrils and issuing a sort of whinny-like protest which made her seem all the more a horseface.

2004, Marilyn Ross, Cellars of the Dead, page 12

This one girl, Dasanna, kept asking me if I wanted to meet in person, and she wasn't a horseface in the game or anything, so we decided to hang at Champps sports bar.

2007, Game Informer Magazine: For Video Game Enthusiasts

On Tuesday, the President of the United States referred to a porn star with whom he has been alleged to have had in affair in the mid 2000s as "horseface."

2018 October 16, Chris Cillizza, “Donald Trump just called Stormy Daniels 'horseface.' Don't act surprised”, in CNN

(by extension) Someone who is unattractive and has a horseface.


turnt up

en-adj

turnt up (comparative more turnt up, superlative most turnt up)

more turnt up (comparative)
most turnt up (superlative)


regulize

en-verb

regulize (third-person singular simple present regulizes, present participle regulizing, simple past and past participle regulized)

regulizes (present singular third-person)
regulizing (participle present)
regulized (participle past)
regulized (past)

From Latin regulare (“to direct, rule, regulate”), from regula (“rule”), from regere (“to keep straight, direct, govern, rule”) + -ize.

der

“As public and international law,” adds Bluntschli, “have for their sole object to recognize and to regulize the aspirations and needs of peoples, we can not on this point of detail leave subsisting that which is in contradiction with the general development.

When you have completed this drainage canal with the side slopes reveted and the cross section that you propose to give it, aren't you regulizing that stream.

1913, W. P. Waggener, In the Supreme Court of the State of Kansas, No. 19115

Тhus, not the image of food itself, but the image of food box with unpleasant food regulizes the behaviour.

Now dams regulize the São Francisco river.

1984, A. Moens, A. H. J. Siepman, Development of the agricultural machinery industry in developing countries


West Philippine Sea

Names and wordings are a big deal in the South China Sea (SCS), also known as the “West Philippine Sea” in Manila and "East Sea" in Ho Chi Minh.

2019 April 28, Jay Hilotin, “Would a nuclear war erupt over South China Sea dispute?”, in Gulf News

(Philippines, loosely, informal) Synonym of South China Sea


aftercost

Whatever be the fate of Walt Whitman as a poet or democratic philosopher, this little book assures his place as a true philanthropist, a benefactor of his suffering brethren in the first degree, bestowing on them not the productions of his singular genius, not the alleviations which wealth may procure (these he had not to give), but his great heart, his measureless sympathy, his solicitude and unwearying patience, and the soothing charm of his tranquil presence, Sweet, unaggressive, tolerant, most humane, as he ministered by day and night to the torn wrecks of men left stranded, by brutal fratricidal war, on the battlefield as on the shoals and shores of a sea of blood — ministered at the aftercost of long years of shattered health.

1899, The London Quarterly and Holborn Review - Volume 91, page 87

(by extension) A subsequent burden or loss resulting from an endeavor.


house-flag

In the school ground, I saw a boy of section B was given the responsibility of leading the march past with house-flag in his hands.

(by extension) A flag that identifies a company, unit, or other group.


revirginate

en-verb

revirginate (third-person singular simple present revirginates, present participle revirginating, simple past and past participle revirginated)

revirginates (present singular third-person)
revirginating (participle present)
revirginated (participle past)
revirginated (past)

It's necessary for Congresspersons to revirginate themselves each election year.

1985, Jacqueline Briskin, Too much too soon, page 369

In his opera, Britten, by telling what we've always heard without listening, revirginates our ears.

2013, Ned Rorem, An Absolute Gift: A New Diary

(by extension) To restore to an inexperienced state.


outprocess

outprocess (third-person singular simple present outprocesses, present participle outprocessing, simple past and past participle outprocessed)

outprocesses (present singular third-person)
outprocessing (participle present)
outprocessed (participle past)
outprocessed (past)

Management generally prefers to notify and outprocess employees on the same day.

1982, The Personnel Administrator - Volume 27, page 88

She claims that she has had “problems with her loan package as they are constantly trying to outprocess her student loans,” “has experienced professors that refused to speak to her,” has had “a student approach her about her health,” and "was denied honors in a course because of this matter."

1995, Americans with Disabilities Cases - Volume 4, page 929

Contributing to the problem was the surprise request from fab management to outprocess about 120 employees a week early.

1996, Louise Moser Illes, Sizing Down: Chronicle of a Plant Closing, page 168

(by extension) To complete the paperwork for ending a contractual arrangement.


it's not my fault

It's not my fault that you're so smart!

(by extension, informal) I did not cause it (regardless of whether the subject matter is perceived as problematic).


upgear

upgear (third-person singular simple present upgears, present participle upgearing, simple past and past participle upgeared)

upgears (present singular third-person)
upgearing (participle present)
upgeared (participle past)
upgeared (past)

Cam will help but you'd need to upgear a tire size to capitalize on it.

1981, Popular Science, volume 219, number 5, page 66

(by extension) To shift to a higher level or standard; upgrade


in the arms of Morpheus

In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Morpheus is the god of dreams, and subsequently he was often referred to as the god of sleep. The name is borrowed from Latin Morpheus, from Ancient Greek Μορφεύς (Morpheús), from μορφή (morphḗ, “form, shape”) (alluding to the fact that Morpheus appeared in dreams in the forms of different people) + -εύς (-eús, suffix forming masculine nouns indicating persons concerned with particular things).

The [Arturo] Toscanini Tour left Italy for the United States, and the continued interest sustained by the progress of the tour brought us back to the war days when we breathlessly awaited the communiqués of offensives and counter-offensives. After which we fell back into the arms of Morpheus. The only signs of life to be found are at the Contanzi Theatre in Rome.]

[1921, Music News and Herald, London: Publishing Office, →OCLC, page 333, column 1

(by extension, figurative) In a state of being completely forgotten, or of unawareness.


unvisor

unvisor (third-person singular simple present unvisors, present participle unvisoring, simple past and past participle unvisored)

unvisors (present singular third-person)
unvisoring (participle present)
unvisored (participle past)
unvisored (past)

His intrepid good sense confronts and unvisors a sophism, by whose authority soever it may be armed.

1883, Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine - Volume 106, page 954

It was as if we had taken off something that had hindered our view of each other, like people who unvisored to talk more easily at a masked ball.

For when Henry Killigrew was come from the Queen of England to comfort her. . .this gentleman stranger's hap was to spill the play, and unvisor the disguising; for when he was, by the Queen's commandment, come to the Court, though...he did nothing hastily, yet he came in so unseasonably before the stage was prepared and furnished, that he found the windows open and the candles not lighted, and all the provisions for the play out of order.

1930, Reginald Henry Mahon, The Tragedy of Kirk O' Field, page 169

(by extension) To reveal; to unmask or unveil.


king of the castle

en-noun

king of the castle (usually uncountable, plural kings of the castle or kings of the castles)

kings of the castle (plural)
kings of the castles (plural)

Mr. Matthews, usually nonjudgmental when writing about O'Connor's domestic relations, can't resist calling him "the king of the castle, the smug possessor of a bevy of three fine women absolutely de-voted to him."

1983 April 30, Deirdre Bair, "Enmity, Torment, Adversity" (review of Voices: A Life of Frank O'Connor by James Matthews), New York Times (retrieved 3 Jan 2019)

[A] onetime classmate in Kumamoto said, "I think Matsumoto is trying to create a closed society like the school for the blind he went to. He is trying to create a society separate from ordinary society in which he can become king of the castle."

1995 April 30, James Walsh, “Shoko Asahara: The Making of a Messiah”, in Time, retrieved 2019-01-03

Darren Clarke's impressive victory on Sunday at Montecastillo in the Volvo Masters, the season's finale, was good enough to leapfrog Lee Westwood into second place on the order of merit, but not to dislodge Monty as the king of the castle.

1998 November 3, Andy Farrell, “Golf: World stage awaits Monty's magic”, in Independent, UK, retrieved 2019-01-03

Wainwright, who is composing the music, is partnered with Daniel MacIvor, who is writing the libretto. “Both Daniel and I are used to being king of the castle,” Rufus confides, “so we need a third party to give us a sense of perspective.”

2016 June 18, Martin Knelman, “Music: Rufus does Judy and faces himself”, in The Star, Canada, retrieved 2019-01-03

(idiomatic, by extension, sometimes sarcastic or derogatory) A person who assumes a position of greater importance, authority, or prominence than others.

important person

one who is of greater importance, authority, or prominence


walk Spanish

en-verb

walk Spanish (third-person singular simple present walks Spanish, present participle walking Spanish, simple past and past participle walked Spanish)

walks Spanish (present singular third-person)
walking Spanish (participle present)
walked Spanish (participle past)
walked Spanish (past)

(figurative, by extension) To proceed or act under compulsion.


ribsteak

From rib + steak.
From being a steak cut from the rib area.

ribeye steak

a rib steak with the bone removed; a boneless ribsteak

(by extension) A bone-in or boneless cut of steak, either the rib or ribeye steak.


ghetto pass

From ghetto + pass, modelled after hall pass, etc.

(slang, by extension) Any permission or tolerance given to enter, experience, or share in another's community.


in gear

to get in gear

(informal, by extension) In a state of readiness or activity.


jialat

en-adj

jialat (comparative more jialat, superlative most jialat)

more jialat (comparative)
most jialat (superlative)

[ˌt͡ɕjɑ(ː)˨ˈlɐt̚˦]

Borrowed from Hokkien 食力 (chia̍h-la̍t, “to be exhausting”), with spelling influenced by Mandarin Pinyin.

According to his doctors, every minute he had remained unconscious would have added to his life being in danger. "If it were 10 minutes... jialat (terrible)!" he said.

2019 March 2, Lyn Chan, “When an emergency hits, will you know what to do?”, in Today


black thumb

Before investing in a terrarium or aquarium, however, check your student for "Black Thumb Disease." Nothing is so depressing as to continually keep killing off plants or animals without knowing what's happening to them.

1977, Michigan State University Alumni Association Magazine

In the interest of full disclosure, I am not now and never have been a big fan of keeping reptiles as pets; I have a “black thumb” when it comes to keeping animals alive in captivity.

2013, Aaron M. Bauer, Geckos: The Animal Answer Guide, page xiii

Or that pet turtle the clerk in that exotic pet store had told her was unkillable. Hah. She had a black thumb.

(more generally) An inability to make animals or plants in one's care thrive.


Lenten fare

(countable, by extension) A meal that is meagre, especially one that contains no meat.


007 knife

From being a knife whose most famous examples had emblazoned with "007" on its scales.

(New York, slang, 1970s-1980s, by extension) A folding knife, especially one used in a crime


van-dragging

(by extension) Theft by stealing one vehicle and transferring the goods to another.


Government House

(by extension, metonymically) The title or office of any of the above.


douzeper

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-douzeper.wav

From Middle English dosse per, dousse-per (“one of Charlemagne’s twelve peers or paladins; one of the twelve great peers of France at later times; a famous knight or noble”) [and other forms], treated as a singular form of dosse pers, dousse pers [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman, Middle French douse pers, douze pers [and other forms], and Old French douze pers, doze pers, duze pers (“Charlemagne’s twelve peers; twelve great peers of France at later times”) [and other forms] (also in the singular forms doze per, duze per, and in Anglo-Norman and Middle French written with a Roman numeral as XII pers), from doze, douze (“twelve”) (modern French douze) + pers (plural of per (“peer”); modern French pair). Doze is derived from Latin duodecim (“twelve”), from duo (“two”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ (“two”)) + decem (“ten”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *déḱm̥ (“ten”)); per is derived from Latin pār (“equal; like”).

ref

From Marion Florence Lansing (1910) “The Battle of Ronceval”, in Page, Esquire, and Knight: A Book of Chivalry (The Open Road Library of Juvenile Literature), Boston, Mass., New York, N.Y.: Ginn and Company, →OCLC, section I (Of the Council of Charlemagne), page 104.

nb...

(Late Middle English) doseper, (Middle English) dose-per, dosi-per, dosse-per, dous-per, doþþeper, doze-per, dozepiere, dozze-per, duche-per, duge-per, duse-per, dus-per, dusse per, duze-per, duzsi-per, duzze-per, (Early Middle English) duzeper

dosiperes, dosipers, dosiperus, dosseperes, dosseperez, dosze-peres, dosȝe perys, douseperes, dousepers, douspiers, douspyers, dousse pers, doussepyers, doussypers, dousȝepeeris, douȝ piers, dozepeers, dozepers, doȝze pers, doþþeperen, doþþe peres, doþþepers, ducheperes, duchepers, dugeperes, dugepers, duȝperis, duseperis, dusperes, duspers, dusseperes, dussepers, dusse-pers, dussiperes, dusze pers, duzepers, duze pers, duzsipiers, duzze peers, duzze peres

And whan the realme of Frãce was fallen to him [Charles IV of France], he was crowned by the assent of the twelve dowspiers of Fraunce; and thã, bicause they wold nat that the realme of Frãce shulde be long without an heyre male, they aduysed by their counsell, that the kyng shulde be remaryed agayne, and so he was to the doughter of the Emperour Henry of Lucenbourg, […]

1523, John Froissart, “Howe Phylypp of Ualois was Crowned Kyng of Fraunce”, in John Bourchier, Lord Berners [i.e., John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners], transl., Sir John Froissart’s Chronicles of England, France, Spain, Portugal, Scotland, Brittany, Flanders, and the Adjoining Countries; […], volume I, London: […] [J. McCreery] for F. C. and J. Rivington; […], published 1812, →OCLC, page 30

The Frenche kyng that ſucceded his father at the kalendes of Aprill, the .xxv. day of July, cometh to Rains to be crowned. […] After reſorte to the churche thoſe that are called the Douzeperes of Fraunce, which are twelue in nomber. The Byſhop of Rains, Landune, Langres, Beauuois, Noion and Challon, Than the kyng of Nauarre, the Dukes of Uandome, Guiſe, Niuerne, Mompenſer, and Inmalle. Theſe repreſented the Dukes of Burgundie, Normandie and Guienne, moreouer the Erles of Tolouſe, Flaunders and Champaine. Of the Byſhoppes were choſen two, Langres and Beauuois, alſo two Cardinalles, to go fetche the kyng to the church, […]

1560, [Johannes Sleidanus], “The Nyntenth Booke of Sleidanes Commentaryes, Concerning the State of Religion, and the Common Weale, during the Reigne of the Empyre of Charles the Fyfte”, in Ihon Daus [i.e., John Daus], transl., A Famovse Cronicle of Oure Time, Called Sleidanes Commentaries, Concerning the State of Religion and Common Wealth, during the Raigne of the Emperour Charles the Fift, […], London: […] Ihon Daye, for Abraham Veale, and Nicholas England. […], →OCLC, folio ccxcij, verso

(by extension, historical) One of the twelve nobles granted feudal territories or episcopal sees by the King of France in return for their fealty (namely the Archbishop-Duke of Rheims; the Bishop-Dukes of Laon and Langres; the Bishop-Counts of Beauvais, Chalons, and Noyon, the Dukes of Normandy, Burgundy, and Aquitaine; and the Counts of Toulouse, Flanders and Champagne).

doze per

one of the twelve nobles granted feudal territories or episcopal sees by the King of France in return for their fealty

In the time of King Arthur this adventure chanced, / Beside the Tarnewathelan, as the books tell; / When to Carlisle had come that victor enhanced, / With dukes and the douzepeers, the doughtiest that dwell, […]
The original poem is dated to the 13th century, but was rendered in modern English.

1894 July 23, “A Mediæval Metrical Romance. [The Adventures of Arthur at the Tarnewathelan.]”, in The Downside Review, volume XIII, number 2, Yeovil, Somerset: Western Chronicle Company, →OCLC, stanza I, page 183

“Mr. Payn, you at least have now been connected with twelveness. In fact, come to think of it, you’re also a douzeper.” / “I’m a what?” Payn gasped. / “Douzeper,” Ellery assured him. “The douzepers were the twelve paladins of Charlemagne. Surely you can’t have forgotten the most famous paladin of them all?[”]

1958, Ellery Queen [pseudonym; Frederic Dannay and Manfred Bennington Lee], “Fifth Night: Sunday December 29, 1929”, in The Finishing Stroke, San Francisco, Calif.: JABberwocky Literary Agency, published 2017, part 2

And to him [Alexander the Great] are devoted a surprisingly large number of separate works which describe his life and career, his code of conduct as a ruler, or the adventures of his douzepers: […]

1960, William Matthews, “Arms and the Man”, in The Tragedy of Arthur: A Study of the Alliterative Morte Arthure, Berkeley, Los Angeles, Calif.: University of California Press, →OCLC, page 68

Down the Grand Staircase the military aides marched in a glittering rank behind the Commander in Chief [John F. Kennedy], Ted [Clifton] on the right, God [Godfrey McHugh] front and center, Taz [Shepard] on the left. Approaching the bottom, valor suddenly vanished; they fled like fugitives. It was time for photographs, and douzepers mustn’t appear to be publicity hogs.

1967, William Manchester, The Death of a President: November 20–November 25, 1963, New York, N.Y., Evanston, Ill.: Harper & Row, →OCLC, page 26

Cousin to the conqueror [King Arthur], as he knows well, / Known by official record as knight of his chamber / And acknowledged the mightiest king of all the Round Table. / I [Gawain] am the douzepere and duke he dubbed with his hands / In due ceremony one day before all his dear lords.

1973 September, John Gardner, “The Alliterative Morte Arthure”, in The Alliterative Morte Arthure, The Owl and the Nightingale and Five Other Middle English Poems in a Modernized Version […] (Arcturus Books; AB116), Carbondale, Edwardsville, Ill.: Southern Illinois University Press; London; Amsterdam: Feffer & Simons, page 70, lines 2639–2643

The standard process by which aristocratic identity is established as the product of ancestry, evidenced in the douzepers’ flamboyant display of their coats of arms, is replicated when Florent dons Clement’s body armour, his weapons, his boar’s-head crested helmet, and his shield, emblazoned with its own craft-inspired heraldic insignia (five of the butcher’s trademark pole-axes), all of which are credited with a robust (war- and weather-beaten) pedigree.
A discussion of Octavian.

2018, Nicola McDonald, “The Wonder of Middle English Romance”, in Katherine C. Little, Nicola McDonald, editors, Thinking Medieval Romance, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, part I (Does Romance Think?), page 28

(by extension) A person considered to be like or in the model of Charlemagne’s peers; someone considered a great hero or paladin.


head unit

(automotive, by extension) The entire dash unit of a car audio, entertainment or infotainment system.


high-stepping

On a journey across the flat Fenlands from Spalding to Nottingham my train was made up of six modern ex-L.M.S.R. corridor coaches behind a high-stepping 0-6-0 of Class "J1", a Doncaster mixed-traffic design of 1908.

1950 October, R. S. McNaught, “Joys of the Unexpected”, in Railway Magazine, page 690


heel turn

From heel (“rear part of the foot, where it joins the leg”) + turn; sense 2 (“act of turning around abruptly”) is derived from turn heel or turn on one’s heel.
Sense 4 (“situation in which a wrestler previously identified as a villain changes to being considered a hero”) is a pun on the word heel, which also means “a headlining wrestler whose ring persona embodies villainous or reprehensible traits”.

compound

"This gentleman may help you," he repeated, with his wooden hand wave and his usual rotund heel turn, which transported him indoors.

1908, Winefride Trafford-Taunton, chapter XII, in The Threshold, London: John Long […], →OCLC, 1st part (The Clay Creatures), page 93

A heel-turn to the northwest in Utah, the Abajos stand up to be counted; farther west the Henry Mountain; and on the border of Arizona, the dark lump of Navajo Mountain, the ten-thousand-foot-high home of the Navajo Wargod.

1966 August, Joyce Rockwood Muench, “The Navajo Alps”, in Arizona Highways, volume 42, number 8, Phoenix, Ariz.: Arizona Highway Department, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 14, column 2

Then he did a heel turn and strode out of the courtroom.

1980, Owen G. Irons, Wind Stalker, New York, N.Y.: Dell, page 184

The security men nodded solemnly, executed a quick heel turn, then hurried off.

2000, Wendy Etherington, Wedding Bell Blues (Precious Gem Romance; no. 266), New York, N.Y.: Zebra Books, page 155

(by extension) An act of turning around abruptly, especially so that one faces the opposite direction.

(figuratively) A radical change (of mind, opinion, etc.).

More than any other episode to date, “The Last Of The Starks” heralds Daenerys’ heel turn. She’s been poised for it for some time, though the timing varies depending on the character perspective—Varys has always been ready to fly to another camp if he felt something was amiss or he just found a more viable candidate, while Tyrion [Lannister] and Jon [Snow] still want to serve her.

2019 May 5, Danette Chavez, “Campaigns are Waged On and Off the Game Of Thrones Battlefield (Newbies)”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 2021-01-28

professional wrestling
professional wrestling

(professional wrestling) A situation in which a wrestler previously identified as a hero changes to being considered a villain

(by extension) A situation in which someone changes from being a hero into a villain.


no-cut

(business, by extension) Of any clause or contract: remaining in force until it expires, without the possibility of earlier cancellation.


low-octane

en-adj

low-octane (comparative lower-octane, superlative lowest-octane)

lower-octane (comparative)
lowest-octane (superlative)

A low-octane French attempt to channel the spirit of Play It Again Sam. Alice Taglioni is a single thirtysomething holding out for Mr Right, while looking to a Woody Allen poster for advice.

2013 July 4, Andrew Pulver, “Paris-Manhattan – review”, in The Guardian


incunabular

[…] something beyond the incunabular RPG and shooter video games […]

(by extension) Relating to the earliest stages of any form of publishing or media.


Meanjin

(by extension) Brisbane in general, especially in an Indigenous Australian sense.


Johnny Turk

(by extension) The Ottoman Empire in general.


cut-in

(video games, by extension) A visual sequence focusing on a character's face or body while they perform a special move.


leechy

leechy (comparative more leechy, superlative most leechy)

more leechy (comparative)
most leechy (superlative)


antirequisite

From anti- + requisite; in the education sense, contrasted with prerequisite.

The key result of this Letter, however, is that hierarchical structure formation is not an antirequisite for the successful formation of disks: the adoption of a plausible physical model for feedback can indeed regulate star formation and avoid catastrophic AM loss.

2001, RJ Thacker, HMP Couchman, “Star formation, supernova feedback, and the angular momentum problem in numerical cold dark matter cosmogony: halfway there?”, in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, volume 555, number 1

(more generally) A condition that prevents something from occurring.


entropology

Coined in 1955 by Claude Lévi-Strauss as Blend of entropy + anthropology

The kind of agency I though I had—and the ethnocentric bias that led me to it—is symptomatic of the narrative motif of entropology. Make no mistake—entrolpology is real.

2012, Kathleen Glenister Roberts, Alterity and Narrative, page 158

In any case, the economic relationship between entropology and money in the last 250 years has to be studied in more scientific depth, but our methodical intuition points to an enigmatic monetary mechanism, concerning the entropy of our human economy.

2013, Stephen I. Ternyik, Global Wave Energetics

The poem thematizes more than it enacts entropology, a contemplation of materials in process over time.

2018, Angela Hume, Gillian Osborne, Ecopoetics: Essays in the Field, page 83

(by extension) The tendency of social systems to disintegrate.


fancam

(by extension) An edit which incorporates fancams into it; an edit which features clips from a piece of media, generally surrounding a single character


Thin Red Line

William H. Russell, Times Correspondent at the Battle of Balaclava wrote that he could see nothing between the charging Russians and the British regiment's base of operations at Balaclava but the “thin red streak tipped with a line of steel”. The condensed phrase “the thin red line” came to represent British composure in battle.

(by extension) Any thinly spread military unit holding firm against attack.


cloudful

cloudful (comparative more cloudful, superlative most cloudful)

more cloudful (comparative)
most cloudful (superlative)

From Middle English cloudeful, equivalent to cloud + -ful.

His words, accordingly, proceeding from a mind "in a dark, hot, cloudful state," were "metallic, meteoric, ball-like."

1847, New Quarterly Review; Or, Home, Foreign and Colonial Journal

(by extension) Dark, dimmed; troubled, turbid.


broxy

If the rural poor ate birds then the urban poor ate pairings of tripe, slink (prematurely born calves), or broxy (diseased sheep).

1983, Anthony S. Wohl, Endangered lives: public health in Victorian Britain, page 50

With the import of refrigerated meat the market among the poor for 'slink' (prematurely born calves) or 'broxy' (diseased sheep) mercifully contracted, although few families could have forgone tripe (cow's stomach lining.)

2002, Simon Schama, A History of Britain: The fate of empire 1776-2000, page 417

...slink (prematurely born calves), or broxy (diseased sheep).

2016 December, John Bellamy Foster, “Marx as a Food Theorist”, in Monthly Review, page 3

(by extension) The meat from diseased sheep.


pagerank

(by extension) Any of several ranks assigned to a web page by a search engine.


whoremongery

In ch. xxi. 8 whoremongery is considered under the aspect of an injury done to a neighbour.

1852, Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg, The Revelation of St John: Expounded for Those who Search the Scriptures

Hence the sanctification of the sexual appetite can be regarded as only a single purpose, for which there is not even a point of resemblance in the parallel with the church and her Head, not as the principle task of Christian family morals (Schenkel), as if marriage were ordained as a safeguard against whoremongery or carnal excess, when this is but a single object, or rather a coincident result, even though the main matter is this work of sanctification.

1870, A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, page 206

The only lawful sexual connection is the marriage bed. All other sex activity is whoremongery and adultery, which will damn the soul forever in Hell.

2018, Chuck Stewart, Documents of the LGBT Movement, page 166

(more generally) The act of engaging in illicit sexual relations.


nouvelle vague

/nuːˌvɛl ˈvɑːɡ/

Unadapted borrowing from French nouvelle vague (literally “new wave”).

ubor

(by extension) A new movement in art or society.


pep rally

When a service improvement process is first rolled out, the training sessions can be somewhat of a pep rally to get employees excited about the effort.

2009, Dennis Snow, Teri Yanovitch, Unleashing Excellence: The Complete Guide to Ultimate Customer Service

In Little Old New York, there is a political pep rally at the front steps of the Bank of New York.

2010, Robert McLaughlin, Frank R. Adamo, Freedomland

You will be amazed at how creative a small group of outstanding people can actually make the pep rally meeting more than just another staff meeting.

2010, Gary J. Borgstede, The Make It Happen Journey

The 2004 pep rally, a company activity where employees are entertained and encouraged to do more for the company, featured a company fashion show.

2018, Veronica Manlow, Designing Clothes: Culture and Organization of the Fashion Industry

(by extension) A meeting or gathering for the purpose of instilling enthusiasm and motivation in attenders.


bare-knuckle

In one sense such bare-knuckle tactics reflect the fact that IP grants are (and are intended to be) monopolies.

2005, Henry C. Mitchell, The Intellectual Commons: Toward an Ecology of Intellectual Property, page 28

In 2000 America witnessed the bare-knuckle tactics of the GOP firsthand in Florida — tactics that included intimidation of black voters, phony felon lists, hired thugs sent by Tom DeLay to stop the recount, a secretary of state who did all that could be done to push the election in Bush's favor, and so on.

2007, Elliot D. Cohen, Bruce W. Fraser, The Last Days of Democracy: How Big Media and Power-hungry Government are Turning America into a Dictatorship, page 278

The territory was bursting with political spoils and riches to be captured, and “old settlers” vied with newcomers for a place at the head of the line, encouraging bare-knuckle politics with a distinctively local cast.

2010, Mary Lethert Wingerd, Kirsten Delegard, North Country: The Making of Minnesota, page ccxliii

I'm telling you, all the cracks were already waiting to be slipped through, in every home, in every office, out into space, between haxor invention and bare-knuckle corporate crime.

2013, Shock Theatre: Collected Speculative Fiction, 2002-2006, page 185

The body, however, failed to alter the bare-knuckle politics governing the nominating convention.

2013, Jeffrey Bloodworth, Losing the Center: The Decline of American Liberalism, 1968--1992

Can one sustain an accusation that EC law serves to evacuate the public authorities in the Member States from the task of regulating the market inter alia in order to protect the consumer from the harsher excesses of bare-knuckle competition?

2018, Geraint Howells, Annette Nordhausen, Deborah Parry, The Yearbook of Consumer Law 2007

(by extension) Characterized by ruthlessly attacking or overpowering an opponent, especially when using underhanded techniques.


-cel

A clipping derived from incel. A highly-productive suffix; compare the more offensive -fag, which may have partly inspired it. First attested in c. late 2010s.
Possibly influenced by honorific Japanese suffixes associated with anime and manga culture (as with 4chan suffix above), like -kun, -chan, etc.

word + -cel → wordcel (“someone with high writing skills and verbal intelligence”)

theory + -cel → theorycel (“someone interested in extremely academic and abstract ideas”)

we're in our deep sleep arcs, we're such snoozepilled napcels.

2022 November 22, @EverydayWarren, Twitter, archived from the original on 2023-09-29

I'm a full ceramicpilled coffeecel, going tiny mug mode rn

2022 December 5, u/BaronDornier, “My mom asked me if I wanted some coffee and I said yes and she served me these tiny tiny cottagecore japanese cup that I don't know how to hold”, in Reddit, r/redscarepod, archived from the original on 2023-09-29

I'm such a sandwichmaxxing lunchmoder. I'm a foodpilled hungrycel.

2023 May 8, @Freyjihad, Twitter, archived from the original on 2023-09-29

shushmaxxed secretcel

2023 June 28, u/Ok_Capital_2927, “everyone needs to shut the fuck up when they find something useful or cool”, in Reddit, r/redscarepod, archived from the original on 2023-09-29

(Internet slang, loosely, ironic) Used tongue-in-cheek for a wide range of effects unrelated to romance.


melanated

The elementary school i went to was in a small typically german suburb with me being one of the five girls of color in the entire school (next to my younger ((way lighter)) sister, two adopted darker melanated sisters from brazil and my best friend who grew to become my sister, a vietnamese girl).

2020 May 7, Sunshinegoldenchild, Watering My Crown: A Story About Breaking and Rising Up Stronger Again, One About Self-Reflection and Growth, Tredition

Melanated brothers and sisters, no fiction, we’re turning into victims or a Cold Case.

2020 June 24, M. Rayne, How I See the World, Xlibris

They say all the right things, post the right hashtags, and are skilled at “amplifying melanated voices” on public platforms when the cultural moment demands it.

2021 October 12, Bethaney Wilkinson, “Racism Is the Problem”, in The Diversity Gap: Where Good Intentions Meet True Cultural Change, HarperCollins Leadership, page 18

(by extension) Belonging or relating to black people.


sheepswool

Coordinate term: lambswool

(by extension, countable) A textile or garment made of wool from a sheep.


Rikers Island

Mayor de Blasio on Friday vowed to shutter Rikers Island within a decade and replace the violence-plagued correction complex with “at least a few new facilities” to lock up inmates elsewhere in the city.

2017 March 31, Yoav Gonen, Rebecca Rosenberg, Golding, “New York City to close Rikers Island”, in New York Post

(by extension) The jail complex on the island.


feather merchant

en-noun

feather merchant (plural feather merchants)

Everybody who works for a feather merchant knows where all the trouble is — at higher headquarters. At least, that's what the feather merchant says.

1982, Infantry School (U.S.), United States Army Infantry School, United States Army Infantry School. Editorial and Pictorial Office, Infantry - Volumes 72-73

What's wrong? You feather merchants can't handle the mission?

2007, F.K. Milton, Fat Kid's War, page 9

Calling “Attention!,” our DI shouted, “That wasn't funny, you feather merchants!”

2012, Chuck Tatum, Red Blood, Black Sand

“All right you bunch of feather-merchants, let's get this show on the road!” barked a sergeant dressed in army olive drab.

2013, Richard C. Kirkland, Wide Place In The Road: A Great Generation Love Story, page 327

Jackson figured fat REMFs to be the worst kind of feather merchants.

2014, James Hawkins, A Common Virtue: A Novel, page 61

(military slang, by extension) Someone with a cushy job or without combat experience.

This gentleman was bred a feather merchant, and plumes himself upon his eloquence; but, on the present occasion, “the down of his feelings” (as Mr. Bran; don elegantly expresses it) was considerably ruffled by the hooting of his auditors.

The mayor said he doesn't want "feather merchants" to sell their products near schools.

1991, Martin L. Gibson, Editing in the Electronic Era, page 130

Well Sir, you mentioned having the city or the State Police crime lab do it. But I think that would take time and you may not want them reading it. My guess is that this is probably very personal stuff Sir, maybe those feather merchants shouldn't be reading it.

2012, Dan Gillcrist, Ghost Boat, page 31

(slang, by extension) Someone who does not do worthwhile work; someone who is more appearance than substance.


livers and lights

From the most prominent organs, the liver and the lights (lungs); probably influenced by alliteration.

... for I forgot he was old King Lear and a drownded A-rab all in one, and it most scared the livers and lights out of me.

1884, Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

It's all as true as Gospel ; and I can whip the livers and lights out of any crowd that disputes it.

1898, “Uncle Jake's Story: The South Bend Bear Hunt”, in The Cyclopædia of Wit and Humor, page 30

D'ye hear me? I'll cut ye open. I'll cut the livers and lights out o'ye.


cede the field

en-verb

cede the field (third-person singular simple present cedes the field, present participle ceding the field, simple past and past participle ceded the field)

cedes the field (present singular third-person)
ceding the field (participle present)
ceded the field (participle past)
ceded the field (past)

In some smokestack industries—steel, machine tools and especially cars—the choice was to raise productivity and quality a lot or cede the field to the competition, as American companies did in consumer electronics.

1994 February 27, Sylvia Nasar, “The American Economy, Back on Top”, in New York Times, retrieved 2019-08-08

State Senator McClintock appeared on CNN's Inside Politics on Tuesday and told me he had no intention of following Ueberroth's lead and ceding the field to Schwarzenegger: "I'm in this race right to the finish line."

2003 September 10, Judy Woodruff, McClintock: "I'm in this race right to the finish line", CNN, retrieved 2019-09-23

And what will happen to Windows Phone? […] One can't imagine that Ballmer will call it a day and cede the field to Google and Apple.

2013 June 24, Jean-Louis Gassée, “Microsoft and Nokia won't beget a Google-Motorola clone”, in Guardian, UK, retrieved 2019-08-12

(idiomatic, by extension) To withdraw from any confrontational or potentially confrontational situation; to avoid participating in a competition or contest.


green carder

(US, loosely) A United States citizen of Mexican descent who lives in Mexico and commutes across the border.


walk turkey

walk turkey (third-person singular simple present walks turkey, present participle walking turkey, simple past and past participle walked turkey)

walks turkey (present singular third-person)
walking turkey (participle present)
walked turkey (participle past)
walked turkey (past)

From the way a domestic turkey moves, leading with the breast and bobbing back and forth.

There are a favored few who are allowed to do as they please ; but the rest of us must walk turkey, or spend our Saturday afternoons in doing extra duty.

1883, Harry Castlemon, The Rod and Gun Club, page 34

"Jest let him get the grip on you that he got on me, an he'll make the best among ye walk turkey,” Bud retorted sharply.

1889, Harry Castlemon, True to His Colors, page 192

Secretary Brower intends to lay down the law and make delinquents walk turkey.

1907, Typographical Journal - Volume 31, page 62

The legislatures rap them for lower fares, the federal government makes them walk turkey, and they see a man with a gun behind every bunch of grass, whichever way they turn.

1915, E. C. Cook, Railway Journal - Volume 21, page 6

(by extension) To obey obsequiously; to toe the line.


one-horse

en-adj

one-horse (comparative more one-horse, superlative most one-horse)

more one-horse (comparative)
most one-horse (superlative)

Let us have no one-horse candidate for the Presidency. General Grant is the man.

1871, The Catholic Record - Volumes 1-2, page 47

A Nestor may reappear as an elderly pedagogue, a Circe as the "Madam" of a one-horse brothel.

The Great Powers never think of us as a one-horse state.

2014, James A. Michener, A. Grove Day, Rascals in Paradise, page 132

Going from its one-horse hotel, to the model hotel of Philadelphia, was almost too sudden a change even for my excellent constitution.

2016, Fanny Fern, Folly as It Flies, page 112


smasheroo

A couple of years ago when grain speculators wanted to unload a bumper crop of wheat, ole Dick Nixon helped arrange a smasheroo of a wheat sale to the Russians.

1975, News and Views - Ohio AFL-CIO.- Volumes 24-28

And is my little do tomorrow gonna be a smasheroo, or a smasheroo?

1963, David Westheimer, J.P. Miller's Days of Wine and Roses, page 111

As early as the nineteenth century, there were people who insisted that locusts were healthier than pork, but they never became a gastronomic smasheroo in Europe.


waterbreak

en-noun

waterbreak (countable and uncountable, plural waterbreaks)

Later, about 75 years ago, Ralph's grandfather built "waterbreaks" on his farm, which are the nearest things to broad-base terraces you can imagine.

1943, P. Alston Waring, Walter Magnes Teller, Roots in the earth: the small farmer looks ahead, page 91

Planting of waterbreak cultures on steep deeply submerged banks is not recommended before filling the reservoir, as they are doomed to death due to proceeding wash-out.

1967, International Association of Scientific Hydrology - Volume 1, page 416

In preparation for further leaching, a waterbreak is made to absorb the force of leaching water as it is poured atop the acorn, preventing holes from forming in the meal, and thereby insuring even leaching.

1991, Bev Ortiz, It Will Live Forever, page 102

(countable, more generally) Any artificially constructed system or device to halt the destructive flow of water.


gone fishing

(figurative, by extension) Absentminded.

Crazy. Toys in the attic, I am crazy. Truly gone fishing.

1979, Roger Waters, Bob Ezrin (lyrics and music), “The Trial”, in The Wall, performed by Pink Floyd

(figurative, by extension) Crazy; insane.


majhul

Borrowed from Classical Persian مَجْهُول (majhūl), from Arabic مَجْهُول (majhūl, “unknown”).

bor+

[...] there are two kinds of Yā in Persian, namely, the Ma'rūf and the Majhūl. The Ma'rūf or known Yā is the Yā which occurs in such words as رقیب, تیر, شیر (milk), دید, پیل etc., while the Majhūl or Unknown Yā occurs in words such as خویش, تیز, شیر (lion), سپید etc.

1921, “The Unknown Yā in Persian”, in Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona, volumes 3-4, pages 86-87

If the stem ends in either ی-ma'rūf (i) or ی-majhul (e), the letter ج is inserted, for the sake of euphony, between the stem and the termination: e.g., from پینا to drink, we have پینجیئے, پیجیو, and پیجییگا, from دینا we have دیجیئے, etc.

1910, R. C. Busher, A Complete Urdu Course Consisting of the Essentials of Grammar, Progressive Exercises, Readinglessons and Vocabularies, Longmans, Green and Co.

Mârūf مَعروُف and majhul مَجھوُل, known and un-known. These Arabic terms are applied to the letters و wāo and ی ye. In Arabic the simple vowel sounds of these two letters are ū and ī, the sounds o and e are unknown in that language; so ū and ī are said to be mârūf, but o and e are majhūl. The majhūl sounds are sometimes called Âjamī or Persian.

1872, John Dowson, A Grammar of the Urdū Or Hindūstānī Language

Thirdly, to distinguish between the majhūl and ma'rūf sounds of و and ي, the following rule is observed. When و and ي follow a consonant, unmarked by a short vowel or jazm, they are understood to have the majhul sound, or that of ō and ê respectively, as in مور mōr, "an ant," and شیر shêr, "a lion." If, on the other hand, the consonant preceding و have the vowel ـُ, and that preceding ي the vowel ـِ, they have the ma'rūf sound, or that of u in rule and i in machine respectively, as in the words شُود šūd, "gain," and شِیر, shīr, "milk": and if the preceding consonant be marked with jazm, و and ي are consonants.

1844, Duncan Forbes, A grammar of the Persian language to which is added a selection of easy extracts for reading together with a copious vocabulary, Allen & Madden, page 15

(linguistics) A class of vowel used in various Arabic script languages, including Classical Persian, Dari Persian, Kurdish, Pashto, Punjabi and Urdu, among others:

(by extension) The pronunciation, or reading, of a semivowel or other vocalic character as a vowel phoneme that is different from the one it typically corresponds to in Classical Arabic. Contrasted with ma'ruf.


haroun

(usually preceded by "the") The headquarters or government of a post-medieval Horn African state, particularly the Daraawiish.

(by extension) The leading figures of the Daraawiish (i.e. commanders, governors, representatives, judges etc.) considered collectively.

(idiomatic, by extension) The Daraawiish government.


at war

The decision to separate a child from his parents is at war with our values.

(figurative, by extension) (typically with with or against) Vigorously opposed (to); in strong conflict (with).


backspatter

(broadly) Any spatter that splashes or sprays back in such a manner (as for example in the course of manure management in farming).


denumerate

en-verb

denumerate (third-person singular simple present denumerates, present participle denumerating, simple past and past participle denumerated)

denumerates (present singular third-person)
denumerating (participle present)
denumerated (participle past)
denumerated (past)

By the first (which is made at corpus) is commemorated the cold and stiffs extension of the body of Iesus Christ: which according to the saying of the prophet was such, that they might denumerate all his bones.

1974, English Recusant Literature - Volume 205, page 279

These groupings enable the child to classify the reality, serially order it, denumerate it and so on.

1981, Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute

We haven't put ourselves in a situation to denumerate or enumerate any exhaustive set of conditions which supervene or intervene or are present in relation to any piece of discourse.


bepuddle

bepuddle (third-person singular simple present bepuddles, present participle bepuddling, simple past and past participle bepuddled)

bepuddles (present singular third-person)
bepuddling (participle present)
bepuddled (participle past)
bepuddled (past)

But this Antichrist has, where she rules, put all out of order ; and no wonder, for she has bepuddled the word of God ; no wonder, then, I say, if the foundations of the world be out of course.

1861, John Bunyan, The Works of John Bunyan, page 330


top note

(by extension) The best that a person can do; one's finest achievement.


draw fire

draw fire (third-person singular simple present draws fire, present participle drawing fire, simple past drew fire, past participle drawn fire)

draws fire (present singular third-person)
drawing fire (participle present)
drew fire (past)
drawn fire (participle past)

By-the-way, you've never had much talk with Miss Woodburn, have you, March?"
"Not so much as with Miss Woodburn's father."
"Well, he is rather apt to scoop the conversation. I must draw his fire, sometime, when you and Mrs. March are around, and get you a chance with Miss Woodburn."

1909, William Dean Howells, chapter 1, in A Hazard of New Fortunes

(idiomatic, by extension) To create a distraction that allows one's friends, co-workers, or other associates to gain an advantage over the distracted party.

The Compugraphics Corporation, a company that once drew fire for its income‐augmenting accounting practices, is making an impression in Wall Street these days with a solid record of quality earnings gains.

1978 July 12, Robert Metz, “Market Place”, in New York Times, retrieved 2020-02-20

An Irish writer living in Devon, Trevor is alert to the quirks of people on both sides of the Irish Sea […] Bullies and bigots of every stripe draw his fire.

1979 April 8, Julia O'Faolain, “Certainties Of Loss”, in Washington Post, retrieved 2020-02-20

CBS television President Les Moonves has been the man in the hot seat. After a conservative outcry, he abruptly canceled a mini-series about Ronald Reagan, only to draw fire from liberals complaining that he caved in to pressure.

2003 November 17, “10 Questions for Les Moonves”, in Time, retrieved 2020-02-20

(idiomatic, by extension) To attract criticism or an angry reaction.


pink tea

en-noun

pink tea (countable and uncountable, plural pink teas)

From pink (“pale red; (rare) fashionable, smart”) + tea (“drink made by infusing dried leaves or buds of the tea plant in hot water; light midafternoon meal”).

compound

At the expiration of the solemn ceremonies connected therewith Private Flanagan of the Irish tent arose, and, after congratulating the learned doctors of the Keeley Club on the success of the meeting, invited all present to attend a pink tea that would be held in his tent that evening at eight p.m.

1895, “The Vigilantes at the Capitol Grounds”, in The “City Guard”: A History of Company “B”, First Regiment Infantry, N.G.C. [National Guard of California]: During the Sacramento Campaign, July 3 to 26, 1894 […], San Francisco, Calif.: Filmer-Rollins Electrotype Co. […], →OCLC, pages 79–80

They might lose their reverence for our pretentious Senate when they see how Senators spend their mornings reading novels and their afternoons attending pink teas, instead of studying questions of public welfare.

1896 April, Hazen Stuart Pingree, quotee, “Two Interesting Suggestions from Mayor Pingree”, in William O. Krohn, Alfred Bayliss, editors, The Child-Study Monthly, volume I, number 10, Chicago, Ill.: The Werner Company, →OCLC, page 405

(by extension) Any exclusive social gathering.


currency strap

(by extension) A bundle of banknotes held together by such a device.


femcel

From fem(ale) + -cel; a relatively new consolidation.

(loosely, Internet, slang, ironic) A woman associated with and/or adjacent to the incel "aesthetic", "vibe", or other connotations.


strike the tent

en-verb

strike the tent (third-person singular simple present strikes the tent, present participle striking the tent, simple past and past participle struck the tent)

strikes the tent (present singular third-person)
striking the tent (participle present)
struck the tent (participle past)
struck the tent (past)

(idiomatic, by extension) To yield, give up, or surrender.


go their separate ways

go their separate ways (third-person singular simple present goes their separate ways, present participle going their separate ways, simple past went their separate ways, past participle gone their separate ways)

goes their separate ways (present singular third-person)
going their separate ways (participle present)
went their separate ways (past)
gone their separate ways (participle past)

(idiomatic, figuratively, by extension) (of two or more people) to end a (romantic, professional, etc.) relationship.


BiPAP

NPPV

non-invasive positive pressure ventilation

(by extension) a bilevel positive airway pressure machine, a BiPAP device


odour of sanctity

to die in odour of sanctity

[…] whose brother Thomas was banished by Henry II among the friends and relations of St. Thomas of Canterbury. By this brother's advice she made her profession in the Cistercian nunnery at Laon, where she died in odour of sanctity in 119'.'.

1821, Alban Butler, The lives of the fathers, martyrs, and other principal saints, page 41

William, though indolent, was not altogether unsuitable for the post, and he died in an odour of sanctity (he was canonized by Pope Honorius III in 1226).

1955, Austin Lane Poole, From Domesday Book to Magna Carta: 1087-1216, Oxford University Press, page 191

... a gilt coif above her marble face. On the entablature, among the heraldic scutcheons, may be read in lapidary Latin how Sabina, Comitessa de Roodhurst, died in the odour of sanctity in the year after her lord, hasting to rejoin him in Heaven.

2011, John Buchan, The Blanket of the Dark, House of Stratus, page 274

Pietro died nineteen years after in the odour of sanctity, and was canonised, to the glory of his city. His breve, the inscription under his portrait in the great hall, attributes to him the building of San Marco, as well as many miracles and wonderful ...

2012, Margaret Oliphant, The Makers of Venice: Doges, Conquerors, Painters, and Men of Letters, Cambridge University Press, page 18

(by extension, of people) A state of or reputation for holiness.

odeur de sainteté

idiomatic, of a person: state of holiness

... Churches, easily attained to Saintſhip, which those of lower Rank, tho' perhaps much better and holier Persons, not having wherewithal to build them, could not do, but lived and died, without leaving the least Odour of Sanctity behind them.

1753, John White, The Protestant Englishman Guarded Against the Arts and Arguments of Romish Priests and Emissaries: ... By John White, ... ..., page 327

For it is of all the churches in England the first and most ancient ; first made of twisted rods, from which a divine odour of sanctity spread its perfume over all the world ; and though made of mean materials, was held in the highest veneration [...]

1813, Sir James Hall, Essay on the origin, history, and principles of Gothic architecture, page 118

The twenty-six cartloads of relics which were brought here when the building was dedicated to Sta Maria ad Martyres, have failed to give it the odour of sanctity.

2008, Edward Morgan Forster, The Creator as Critic and Other Writings by E.M. Forster, Dundurn, page 161

It has neither the odour of sanctity, nor the flavour of philosophy. And I greatly fear that most of the ministers who come to do the duty, at so many dollars a-head, do it rather like students reciting a theme as part of their task-work, than as gospel […]

2011, Thomas Colley Grattan, Civilized America, Cambridge University Press, page 59

Here, at the church door, where I might have expected an odour of sanctity, I sensed only evil.

2015, Jonathan Aycliffe, A Shadow on the Wall, Skyhorse

(by extension) A general aura of holiness.


libellary

en-adj

libellary (comparative more libellary, superlative most libellary)

more libellary (comparative)
most libellary (superlative)

From Latin libellus (“petition”) + Latin adjective suffixes -aris and -arius.

Any type of investiture would serve this purpose, and in fact we read in the authorities of churches which were granted to clerks in the form of a libellary contract, métayage or Teilpacht, a precaria, and even for the duration of a number of lives.

1938, Mediaeval Germany, 911-1250 - Volume 2, page 56

It was the censive in France, the peasant libellary contract in Italy during the 13th and 14th centuries, i.e., the relationship between feudal lord and peasant in which economic elements were overwhelmingly predominant and extra-economic compulsion in the form of personal dependence was generally absent.

1967, Soviet Studies in History - Volumes 6-7, page 42

And since the illustrious Bishop Augustine firmly insisted on it, both the bishops of Calama met for discussion and for the third time they met in conflict concerning their different communions, while a great multitude of Christians at Carthage and througout all Africa awaited the result of the case; and Crispinus was pronounced a hertic by proconsular and libellary sentence.

2008, Saint Possidius, The Life of Saint Augustine, page 18

(by extension) Formally recorded by the court.


cost dear

en-verb

cost dear (third-person singular simple present costs dear, present participle costing dear, simple past and past participle cost dear)

costs dear (present singular third-person)
costing dear (participle present)
cost dear (participle past)
cost dear (past)

(by extension) To cause a lot of pain or suffering.


catch a wave

catch a wave (third-person singular simple present catches a wave, present participle catching a wave, simple past and past participle caught a wave)

catches a wave (present singular third-person)
catching a wave (participle present)
caught a wave (participle past)
caught a wave (past)

The size of his fortune, he said, revealed only that "we caught a wave. We were lucky. We had more luck than we deserved."

1997 January 23, David Cay Johnston, “A Man Who Repaid His Debts”, in New York Times, retrieved 2020-04-04

He did have one brief spell in the second set when he seemed to catch a wave, pounding his backhand and winning 11 of 14 points.

2015 November 8, Simon Briggs, “Andy Murray brushed aside by increasingly dominant Novak Djokovic in Paris Masters final”, in Telegraph, UK, retrieved 2020-04-04

(idiomatic, by extension) To derive benefit from a fortunate opportunity; to experience a sudden increase in energy or luck.


petrofiction

en-noun

petrofiction (countable and uncountable, plural petrofictions)

Abdel Rahman Munif
Amitav Ghosh
Imre Szeman

Originally coined as petro- + fiction by Amitav Ghosh in his review of Abdel Rahman Munif's quintet of novels Cities of Salt (published by New Republic in March 1992). The term was subsequently broadened by Imre Szeman in a 2012 article in American Book Review.

This neglect of water exists in spite of a growing trend towards reading literature for its representations of resources, most prominently in the subject of 'petrofiction'.

2015, Hannah Boast, Hydrofictions: Water, Power and Politics in Israeli and Palestinian Literature. (PhD thesis University of York)

As writers come to terms with the fossil fuel era and "our entanglement" with petroleum extraction in modern life and in our relationships among different groups of people and in our responsibility to our environments, the relevance and urgency of reading petrofiction has increased.

2016, Jonathan Steinwand, “Global Petrofiction Book Club Guides”, in Oil Boom Inquiry Seminar

Against today's backdrop of eco-catastrophe and sustainability issues, recent concerns in the field of environmental humanities include the thematic and aesthetic examinations of pollution and waste, toxic/nuclear landscapes, eco-phobia, the imperilled human/non-human cohabitation, climate change fiction, and petrofiction.[…] Petrofiction deals more specifically with the multi-faceted relationship between oil and human affairs.

2018 April-July, Jessica Maufort, “Book Review: Energy Humanities: An Anthology”, in Ariel, volume 49, numbers 2-3

A pertinent example of the energy unconscious in petrofiction is Tom McCarthy’s Satin Island, in which an oil spill is one of the dominant motifs.

2019, Christa Grewe-Volpp, “Oil as matter, oil as discourse: Tom McCarthy's Satin Island”, in Green Letters: Studies in Ecocriticism, volume 23, number 2

(by extension) Fiction that deals with modern culture's dependency on petrochemicals.


Pharsalian

Do not shun me, Cæsar. / From kingly Ptolomy I bring this present, / The crown and sweat of thy Pharsalian labour

1619, John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, The False One

(by extension) Pertaining to the Battle of Pharsalus.


cabbalize

en-verb

cabbalize (third-person singular simple present cabbalizes, present participle cabbalizing, simple past and past participle cabbalized)

cabbalizes (present singular third-person)
cabbalizing (participle present)
cabbalized (participle past)
cabbalized (past)

The great value of Bloom's work is its emphasis on a psychoanalytic perspective, however gnostified, mystified, cabbalized that perspective may be.

1983, Eleanor Cook, Northrop Frye, Centre and labyrinth: essays in honour of Northrop Frye, page 345

We are now given a neo-platonized and cabbalized Yeats, whom to understand we must first master an august company that ranges from Cornelius Agrippa to Madame Blavatsky, from the astral wanderings of Swedenborg to the secret speculations of the Rosicrucians.

1988, Harold Bloom, John Hollander, Poetics of influence: new and selected criticism, page 46

But how could she have cabbalized out of her imagination the things she'd seen photographed in that book — how could anyone have conceived of it without the proof of the images?

(more generally) To interpret in a mystical and esoteric manner.


low-water mark

(by extension) The nadir or lowest point of something.


in other news

“Humph,” he says. “Did you ask for extra soy sauce?” ¶ “Yes. Dad. It's in the bag,” she says, rolling her eyes at me. “Well, in other news, the kids I cast as Emily and George are amazing!” ¶ My grandfather's head snaps up. "You're doing Our Town? That show is a snooze.”

2014, Jennifer L. Holm, The Fourteenth Goldfish, New York, NY: Random House, page 40

(by extension, conjunctive, idiomatic) Used to introduce an unrelated topic: by the way, apropos.


body in black

Coined in reference to body in white.
* (carbon fibre composite): Blend of black + body in white. From the fact that carbon fibre reinforced composites are typically black in colour, and not whitish (bare wood, bare metal, gray primer coat)
* (body shell): From being the skin of the vehicle, opposite to the body in white, the skeleton of the bodycabin, as black is opposite to white.

(by extension) A body in white made from non-metallic materials

(by extension) The skin shell of a motor vehicle, prior to its assembly onto the body


polehead

The second type of collector is of the wood-pole, lubricated slider variety, having a box-type pole, poleheads that are individually flexible, and roller-bearing base provided with a passage for the cables and a stop to limit rotation.

1922, Bus Transportation - Volume 1, Issues 5-12, page 282


ungrapple

ungrapple (third-person singular simple present ungrapples, present participle ungrappling, simple past and past participle ungrappled)

ungrapples (present singular third-person)
ungrappling (participle present)
ungrappled (participle past)
ungrappled (past)

But then the fear of further obloquy and ridicule makes them desist from the open enmity they still feel in their secret hearts, and like the two Demons, as we read in the lines that follow, they find the place so hot for them, that they ungrapple from their deadly contention.

1894, William Warren Vernon, Readings on the Inferno of Dante, page 211

The Monk uttering these words in choler, as he past under a walnet-tree, in his way towards the Causey, he broached the vizor of his helmet on the stump of a great branch of the said tree: neverthelesse, he set his spurres so fiercely to the horse, who was full of mettal, and quick on the spurre, that he bounded forwards, and the Monk going about to ungrapple his vizor, let go his hold of the bridle, and so hanged by his hand upon the bough, whilest his horse stole away from under him.

2005, François Rabelais, Peter Anthony Motteux, Gargantua and Pantagruel, page 95

The lifting beam assembly is automatic and is manually set by the operator to automatically grapple or ungrapple with the stoplog assembly

2008, Water and Energy International - Volume 65, page 136

(more generally) To disengage; to release from being held.


dynamitic

en-adj

dynamitic (comparative more dynamitic, superlative most dynamitic)

more dynamitic (comparative)
most dynamitic (superlative)

The public that had reacted strongly to his “Editor's Study" could not be shaken by the polite statement of his social radicalism. His important essays on Liberty, Equality and Fraternity – which Howells thought were “terribly dynamitic" and which Walter H. Page felt hesitant to publish – finally went off "like wet firecrackers."

1982, Amerikastudien - Volume 27, page 228

In this article he urges the community to develop the "dynamitic element" and agitate for their civil rights, which, according to Fortune, "are all such as affect the whole people, and are regulated by them in their collective capacity as a government."

2008, Timothy Thomas Fortune, Shawn Leigh Alexander, T. Thomas Fortune, the Afro-American Agitator


kettle lead

(computing, loosely) The similar-looking C13/C14 coupler lead, commonly used to power computer equipment.


trim one's sails

en-verb

trim one's sails (third-person singular simple present trims one's sails, present participle trimming one's sails, simple past and past participle trimmed one's sails)

trims one's sails (present singular third-person)
trimming one's sails (participle present)
trimmed one's sails (participle past)
trimmed one's sails (past)

(figurative, by extension) To adapt to changing circumstances, especially if it involves scaling back one's ambitions; to make cutbacks.


Megan's Law

The law was introduced in response to the murder of Megan Kanka.

(US, informal, by extension) Any of various subsequent state laws based on this.


grammarize

grammarize (third-person singular simple present grammarizes, present participle grammarizing, simple past and past participle grammarized)

grammarizes (present singular third-person)
grammarizing (participle present)
grammarized (participle past)
grammarized (past)

To quote the old expression, "he gave the court and jury the raw material and let them 'grammarize' it to suit themselves."

1884, Pioneer Collections - Volume 6, page 312

Moreover, seen in retrospect from the first line of quatrain 3, it would seem that "But reckening time" embodies a catch in the voice as if the poet had been unable to "grammarize" his fears properly, thereby involving him in a syntactic anacoluthon.

1976, Hilton Landry, New Essays on Shakespeare's Sonnets, page 126

To turn experience into speech—that is, to classify, to categorize, to conceptualize, to grammarize, to syntactify it—is always a betrayal of experience, a falsification of it; but only so betrayed can it be dealt with at all.

1996, Dieter Meindl, American Fiction and the Metaphysics of the Grotesque, page 185

People with Autism would be better off if we would grammarize our daily lives for them—that is, reduce our daily lives to a series of deductive grammars of action that they could then memorize.

1996, Alexander Durig, Autism and the Crisis of Meaning, page 90

(more generally) To codify; to analyze and describe.


propaganda of the deed

[ˌpɹɒ.pəˈɡæ̝ˑn.də əʋ ˌðə ˈdiːd]

Calque of French propagande par le fait rendered into idiomatic English, from propagande (“propaganda”) and fait (“deed, act, action”); a phrasal usage originating among 19th century insurrectionary anarchist communists.

(broadly) The theoretical principle of using acts of violence in the struggle to achieve radical left-wing political goals.


boundaried

(in combination, by extension) Enclosed by a boundary or boundaries of a specified kind.


Bay of Quinte

(by extension) The region comprising several communities situated along the bay.


Christmas and Easter Christian

en-noun

Christmas and Easter Christian (plural Christmas and Easter Christians)

Christmas and Easter Christians (plural)

(loosely) A Christian who possesses weak and/or nominal faith.


slave name

'Woman' is my slave name; feminism will give me freedom to seek some other identity altogether.

1989, Ann Snitow, “Pages from a Gender Diary”, in Dissent, page 205

Muffy was my slave name. It's what all those Columbia math majors called me.

1993, George Alec Effinger, Michael D. Resnick, Maureen Birnbaum, Barbarian Swordsperson, page 23

Call me Namron. You see Norman is my slave name.

2012, Susan W. Gray, Marilyn R. Zide, Brooks/Cole Empowerment Series: Psychopathology, page 47

(by extension, derogatory) Any name imposed on one by others rather than chosen by them for themselves (but generally excluding names bestowed by one's parents).


misclose

Of these papers it is interesting to note that the shape profile analysed according to the Anwar and Binnie methods contained minor miscloses under static conditions, whereas the Harrison computer-orientated method appears to be satisfactory.

1974, Institution of Civil Engineers (Great Britain), Proceedings - Volume 56, Part 1, page 191

Having computed three miscloses from three initial guesses, Newtonian iteration is used to improve the guessed values in a semi-automatic manner.

1983, L. J. Morris, Instability and plastic collapse of steel structures, page 57

This process was repeated for all nodes along the column and the resulting deflection (misclose) at the top of the column of -0.298 mm indicated that the chosen trial value of N was incorrect.

1997, A. E. Kilpatrick, Balamuthu Vijaya Rangan, Curtin University of Technology. School of Civil Engineering, Deformation-control analysis of composite concrete columns, page 39

(civil engineering, by extension) The degree to which the model of the forces acting on a structure fail to account for the observed shape of that structure.


misclose

en-verb

misclose (third-person singular simple present miscloses, present participle misclosing, simple past and past participle misclosed)

miscloses (present singular third-person)
misclosing (participle present)
misclosed (participle past)
misclosed (past)

Looked at as a single structure (Figure 2), the Tethyan Torsion Zone is a belt generally 1000 km or more wide, and a total length of some 40,000 km, which creeps southwards as it is followed eastward round the globe, so that the zone miscloses its own beginning by about 60° (some 7000 km.)

1962, The Australian Journal of Science, page 371

Another definition can be sometimes more useful: consider a closed loop which becomes broken and misclosed due to anholonomic transformation.

1995, Roman Teisseyre, Theory of Earthquake Premonitory and Fracture Processes, page 509

(more generally) To fail to loop back to the starting point.


Rinkeby Swedish

en-noun

Rinkeby Swedish (usually uncountable, plural Rinkeby Swedishes)

From Rinkeby + Swedish. Calque of Swedish rinkebysvenska.

rinkebysvenska

variety of Swedish found in Rinkeby, Stockholm, Sweden

(by extension) All immigrant created varieties of Swedish used by immigrants to Sweden.


Tiran Strait

From Tiran + strait. From Island of Tiran.

Straits of Tiran
Straits of Tiran#English

Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula#English

(by extension) Synonym of Straits of Tiran A straits in the Red Sea, Asia. The narrowed waters between the southern end of the Sinai Peninsula and the Arabian Peninsula, containing Tiran Island.


tech noir

tech noir (countable and uncountable, plural tech noirs)

Blend of tech (“technology”) + film noir. From the close association of high tech with sci-fi. Folk etymology suggests this was coined by director James Cameron, when he named the dance club in the 1984 film The Terminator "Tech-Noir", and the fandom and critics labelled similar IP properties as "tech noir".

blend

(uncountable, fiction, by extension) A genre of fiction, thematically like that of the film genre.


one pump chump

Chosen for the rhyme. From the tendency of people suffering from premature ejaculation to ejaculate after a very short time, perhaps even after a single pelvic thrust or “pump”, during sexual intercourse.

(informal, by extension) someone who only does something once.


slow lane

(figuratively, by extension) A situation in which someone or something is not making progress as quickly as others.


Sawzall

Marketing coinage for the tool; from saw; evoking the collocation saws all ("saws everything"); coined by Milkwaukee Tool for its Sawzall brand of reciprocating saw.

With a Sawzall you can insert the blade between the king stud and header and cut all the nails (Figure 2-4). Without one, you'd be struggling with a nail puller.

1993, Mark Currie, Rough Framing Carpentry, page 16

(by extension) Alternative form of sawzall; A kind of reciprocating saw


mukhannath

en-noun

mukhannath (plural mukhannaths or mukhannathun)

mukhannaths (plural)
mukhannathun (plural)

(by extension, in Arab contexts) The receptive partner in homosexual activity.


doomscrolling

From doom + scrolling, from the practice of scrolling through timelines and news feeds on a computer or mobile device.

(by extension) Continuously and aimlessly consuming any content on social media, particularly sites that utilize a scrolling format, such as TikTok, Instagram and Twitter.


move ahead

en-verb

move ahead (third-person singular simple present moves ahead, present participle moving ahead, simple past and past participle moved ahead)

moves ahead (present singular third-person)
moving ahead (participle present)
moved ahead (participle past)
moved ahead (past)

the construction project is moving ahead

(figurative, by extension) To proceed; to make or signify progress

the committee moved ahead to the next item on the agenda

(figurative, by extension) To go on to something else.


Cincitucky

(American football, slang, by extension) The Cincinnati Bengals.


greenbroke

en-adj

greenbroke (comparative more greenbroke, superlative most greenbroke)

more greenbroke (comparative)
most greenbroke (superlative)

He writes: "To my daughter Caroline, a greenbroke five-year-old, who despite the occasional need of a heavy hand gives promise of an eventual good, if spirited performance.”

1943, 132, Wilson library bulletin - Volume 18, page 132

Here the women are barely greenbroke , the men handsome charismatic cheats ; even the ghosts compel us to listen hard to their too-late wisdom .

I'm twenty-three years old, and I'm not even green-broke yet.

(by extension) Somewhat wild or inexperienced; not completely socialized or comfortable with an activity.


multilinear form

en-noun

multilinear form (plural multilinear forms)

forme multilinéaire

multiply linear mapping to a field of scalars

(linear algebra, multilinear algebra) Given a vector space V over a field K of scalars, a mapping Vᵏ → K that is linear in each of its arguments;

Given a vector space V over a field K of scalars, a mapping Vᵏ → K that is linear in each of its arguments;
(more generally) a similarly multiply linear mapping Mʳ → R defined for a given module M over some commutative ring R.


call balls and strikes

en-verb

call balls and strikes (third-person singular simple present calls balls and strikes, present participle calling balls and strikes, simple past and past participle called balls and strikes)

calls balls and strikes (present singular third-person)
calling balls and strikes (participle present)
called balls and strikes (participle past)
called balls and strikes (past)

Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot said Thursday she wants and expects Inspector General Joe Ferguson to “call balls and strikes” during her administration and sees no reason their friendship would conflict with his role as a city watchdog.

2019 May 13, Fran Spielman, “Watchdog should stay, call ‘balls and strikes’ despite our friendship: Lightfoot”, in Chicago Sun-Times


have the drop on

have the drop on (third-person singular simple present has the drop on, present participle having the drop on, simple past and past participle had the drop on)

has the drop on (present singular third-person)
having the drop on (participle present)
had the drop on (participle past)
had the drop on (past)

They had the drop on us and I had the feeling normally associated with nakedness. But they did not seem keen to take the plunge.

1996, Jim Burtt-Smith, John French, A Drop in the Ocean: Dramatic Accounts of Aircrew Saved From the Sea, Pen and Sword, page 22

It was evident that Buck, after coming so near without discovering any remaining signs of life in his intended victim, was totally unprepared for the swift action which had placed him at a disadvantage. Craig unquestionably had the drop on him.

I had the drop on him, I knew it would be easy to pop him . . . but System Pigs were always tougher to kill than you thought. They always turned out to be luckier than they had right to be.

2007, Jeff Somers, The Electric Church, Orbit

(transitive, informal, by extension) To possess an advantage over another person, by acting before that person.


butcha

(India, historical, slang, by extension) A child.


two-forty on a plank road

In Canada, where trotting is also a very favourite amusement, and whence came the famous trotting mare Flora Temple, a very “fast” young lady is generally spoken of as “two forty on a plank road.”

(Canada, US, slang, obsolete, by extension) The quality of being "fast", i.e. immoral in one's habits.


redemption arc

But Mr. Depp’s victory — which a lawyer for Ms. Heard said she would appeal — may seem attractive to accused litigants who are desperately seeking a similar redemption arc, said Andrew Miltenberg, a lawyer whose firm regularly defends people accused of sexual misconduct.

2022 June 2, Julia Jacobs, “Johnny Depp’s Win in Court Could Embolden Others, Lawyers Say”, in The New York Times

Nobody really knows how Karius will fare on Sunday. He has not played a senior professional game for two years. Nobody knows where his head is at, what battle scars still remain, how he will fare in the cauldron of a cup final with Marcus Rashford bearing down on his goal. The redemption arc is a seductive narrative, and many neutrals will wish him well.

2023 February 24, Jonathan Liew, “Loris Karius knows only too well how one game can change a career”, in The Guardian

(by extension) A series of actions or events by which a person makes right for their past failures, errors, or wrongdoings.