parapolitical

In addition, a more formalized committee structure was also emerging to complement and focus the political energy stirring in such meetings. This involved the establishment of an elected committee (and, more often than not, a local militia unit) at the circulo or locality level. True, the exact format of this basic institution varied somewhat from place to place since, in Mondlande’s words, “existing parapolitical structures, traditional and modern, have been incorporated in the structure of the liberation movement.”

1985, John S. Saul, chapter I, in John S. Saul, editor, A Difficult Road: The Transition to Socialism in Mozambique, New York: Monthly Review Press, →ISBN, section 1, page 68:

(politics) Of or pertaining to parapolitics.


LaRouchebag

Your meaning was always clear. Equally clear is how adherance to LaRouche "philosophy" effectively negates one's ability to have a meaningful impact on most discussions, if for no other reason than others' inability to take a LaRouchebag seriously.

2003 August 21, Jamie, “#HOT! US deploys nuclear missiles in Israeli subs”, in talk.politics.misc (Usenet):

Larouchebag is a racist douche bag who was one of the originators of Urban mythology.

2005 November 14, George, “Many in Jordan See Old Enemy in Attack: Israel”, in soc.culture.usa (Usenet):

..., 29, is a follower of cultish, crypto-anti-Semitic pseudo-leftist Lyndon Larouche, also known as a LaRouchebag.

2010 August 9, Twitchell, “Crazy Town Hall Lady Wants To Win Barney Frank's Seat, Colonize Mars”, in alt.gossip.celebrities (Usenet):

(US politics, slang, derogatory) A political follower of Lyndon LaRouche.


face turn

face turns (plural)
heel/face turn (alternative)
heel-face turn (alternative)

From professional wrestling, in which the wrestler playing a villain role is called the "heel" and a wrestler playing the heroic role is called the "face".

In order to retain viewers, both promotions did their best to load their respective shows with as much action and as many dramatic twists as possible, including pay-per-view quality matches, title changes, heal/face turns, and shocking debuts on a weekly basis.

2000, Brian Solomon, Pro Wrestling FAQ, →ISBN:

Here are five superstars who would benefit tremendously from a character change, whether that be a heel/face turn or an entirely new gimmick.

2017 November 12, Blake Oestriecher, “5 WWE Stars who Badly Need a Character Change”, in Forbes:

WWE has been known to do heel/face turn experiments at live events.

2018 July 29, Corey Jacobs, “Bray Wyatt wrestled as a full-blown babyface on Saturday night”, in Wrestling News:

professional wrestling
professional wrestling

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


TOW

The American-made TOW antitank missiles began arriving in the region in 2013, through a covert program run by the United States, Saudi Arabia and other allies to help certain C.I.A.-vetted insurgent groups battle the Syrian government.

2015 October 12, Anne Barnard, Karam Shoumali, “U.S. Weaponry Is Turning Syria Into Proxy War With Russia”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

(military) Initialism of tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided: a kind of antitank missile.


stagist

(communism) Of or pertaining to stagism.


CoA

en-noun

CoA (countable and uncountable, plural CoAs)

(heraldry slang, informal) Initialism of coat of arms.


Russiagater

(US politics, derogatory) One who strongly believes or advocates that there was and possibly still is collusion between the Trump campaign in 2016, its subsequent administration and the Russian government.


rerole

en-verb

rerole (third-person singular simple present reroles, present participle reroling, simple past and past participle reroled)

reroles (present singular third-person)
reroling (participle present)
reroled (participle past)
reroled (past)

(military, transitive) To assign a new role to.


shoulderboard

In Jerusalem, the streets glittered with the gold braid and shoulderboards of Russian uniforms, worn by princes and generals, while teeming with the sheepskins and smocks of thousands of peasant pilgrims, all encouraged by Nicholas who also despatched and ecclesiastical mission to compete with the other Europeans.

2011, Simon Sebag Montefiore, Jerusalem: The Biography – A History of the Middle East, page 409:

(military) An elaborate shoulder strap on a military uniform.


humetté

(heraldry) Cut short in the form of a humet, not reaching the ends of the shield (as a chevron, cross, etc).


secure arms

secure arms (third-person singular simple present secures arms, present participle securing arms, simple past and past participle secured arms)

secures arms (present singular third-person)
securing arms (participle present)
secured arms (participle past)
secured arms (past)

(military) To guard the firearms from becoming wet.


anti-internationalism

(politics) Opposition to internationalism.


Chimpy McHalliburton

From Chimpy (“George W. Bush”) + Mc- + Halliburton. Named after oil field service company Halliburton, stemming from accusations that Bush is beholden to Big Oil.

The President shouldn't aughta be running all over trying to police the world. Chimpy McHalliburton is just trying to line his Hitlerlike pockets. This is really all just Clinton's fault anyways.

2006 March 4, Charles Beauchamp, “Re: For Dinner This Week”, in rec.sport.football.college (Usenet):

As already noted, he should be embarrassed to be attempting to argue about these issues when he's so ignorant of them. Guess it's easier to hope that Chimpy McHalliburton chokes to death on a pretzel. That requires no thought, or knowledge at all.

2007 January 22, Rand Simberg, “Re: Did The Chinese Violate Any Treaties?”, in sci.space.history (Usenet):

The thought of President Chimpy McHalliburton having nukes raised my red flag for 8 years.

2009 September 21, Sharky, “GOP's Ahmadinejad”, in alt.politics.republicans (Usenet):

The notion that Tea Partiers are a bunch of Timothy McVeigh wannabes and big-money marionettes is almost gospel among the folks who think 9/11 was an inside job and consider calling George W. Bush “Chimpy McHalliburton” the height of political wit.

2010 October 8, A. Barton Hinkle, “Tea Partiers' Good Intentions Might Not Suffice”, in Richmond Times-Dispatch, volume 160, number 281, Richmond, Va., page A11:

(US politics, derogatory) George W. Bush (born 1946), the 43rd president of the United States (2001–2009).


Chimpy McHitlerburton

Blend of Chimpy McHalliburton (“George W. Bush”) + Hitler, comparing Bush to German dictator Adolf Hitler.

blend

I agree with you. I'm not sure why Jeff is trying to make it into one, other than his hate of Chimpy McHitlerburton.

2005 June 27, Matthew Hennig, “Bush League Private Property”, in rec.sport.football.college (Usenet):

No, no, no, can't you see? It was Chimpy McHitlerburton's fault! And global warming too!

2007 August 2, Fester, “Re: A bridge collapses in Minneapolis.”, in us.military.army (Usenet):

When George W. Bush suggested Iran’s acquisition of nuclear arms technology might be a catalyst for World War III, progressive-minded people took it as a sign that Chimpy W. McHitlerburton is off his neocon rocker.

2007 November 2, Jonathan Gurwitz, “Iran, the bomb and World War III”, in Times-News, volume 102, number 306, Twin Falls, ID, page A6:

The above tells me that you would rather have faith in the eeevilitude of Chimpy McHitlerBurton than deal with reality.

2008 December 29, Fred Stone, “Re: OT: Dan Rather $70M Suit To Hit Bush 'Legacy' Hard”, in alt.atheism (Usenet):


underhook

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

(wrestling, martial arts) A clinch hold performed by putting an arm under the opponent's arm, and holding the opponent's midsection or upper body.


underhook

en-verb

underhook (third-person singular simple present underhooks, present participle underhooking, simple past and past participle underhooked)

underhooks (present singular third-person)
underhooking (participle present)
underhooked (participle past)
underhooked (past)

(wrestling, martial arts, transitive) To use such a hold upon.


enlightened absolutism

en-noun

enlightened absolutism (countable and uncountable, plural enlightened absolutisms)

(politics, philosophy) The policies of an absolute monarch who is influenced by the ideals of the Enlightenment.


retired list

(military) A list of officers who are relieved from active service but receive a certain amount of pay.


detrench

en-verb

detrench (third-person singular simple present detrenches, present participle detrenching, simple past and past participle detrenched)

detrenches (present singular third-person)
detrenching (participle present)
detrenched (participle past)
detrenched (past)

Verey lights, no longer needed by the detrenched army, soared with them, descending in wavy pools of radiance.

1936, Henry Williamson, The Flax of Dream: A Novel in Four Books, page 748:

There was particularly heavy fighting in the Smolensk direction, where our units detrenched the enemy from their positions with a succession of counterattacks.

1942, The World Almanac and Book of Facts, page 69:

keep the defense on the move and force them to detrench, defending stack at a time, to ensure a quick success for the TOP-UP infantry attack.

2004, Computer Gaming World - Volumes 138-143:

(military) To force (an army) out of trenches, or to be so forced out.


wax someone's tail

wax someone's tail (third-person singular simple present waxes someone's tail, present participle waxing someone's tail, simple past and past participle waxed someone's tail)

waxes someone's tail (present singular third-person)
waxing someone's tail (participle present)
waxed someone's tail (participle past)
waxed someone's tail (past)

(military, aviation, slang) To lock one's weapons onto the tail of an enemy aircraft.


WWMCCS

w:Worldwide Military Command and Control System

(US, military, historical) Initialism of Worldwide Military Command and Control System.


Wimex

(US, military, historical) Alternative form of WWMCCS.


white radio

(espionage) Radio broadcasting propaganda whose source and motivation are apparent.


black radio

(espionage) Radio broadcasting propaganda whose source and motivation are covert.


red-brown

en-adj

red-brown (comparative more red-brown, superlative most red-brown)

more red-brown (comparative)
most red-brown (superlative)
redbrown (alternative)

(politics) Having the qualities of fascism and communism.


square-pierced

For quotations using this term, see Citations:square-pierced.

(heraldry) Of a charge: perforated with a square opening so as to show the field.


open order

(military) A military unit formed up so as to allow space between its ranks.


Corbynomics

The trouble is, the choice is a dismal one. If you think Corbynomics is wacky, take a look at Trumponomics.

2015 December 15, Matthew Lynn, "Whoever wins the US presidency, the economy is going to be the loser", The Daily Telegraph

Piecing together Corbynomics is difficult, not least because it has evolved during Mr Corbyn’s time in charge of Labour. The gulf between the Labour leadership’s past positions and the milder proposals in the manifesto means that enormous uncertainty hangs over what a Corbyn-led government would do in office.

2018 May 17, “Corbynomics would change Britain—but not in the way most people think”, in The Economist:

The Labour leadership’s calculation is that Corbynomics couched in these terms – as a fiscal remedy to social ills - is a proposition the public agrees with. May’s faltering performance will only boost their confidence.

2019 March 6, Patrick Maguire, “The Conservatives are losing on knife crime, and three other lessons from this week’s PMQs”, in New Statesman:

(UK politics) The economic ideas and policies of British politician Jeremy Corbyn.


surgeon major

(military) The ranking surgeon of a regiment in the British Commonwealth


usual channels

(UK politics) Communication channels between the government and the main opposition party, used to discuss matters pertaining to the business of parliament.


time thrust

(fencing) A thrust made at the moment the opponent draws breath for his or her own thrust.


wetting down

(US, military, slang) A party held to celebrate promotion in the navy.


Shrillary

Blend of shrill + Hillary, likely to invoke the connotation of being loud, overbearing, and irrational that the word shrill may have when applied to women.

Given recent reporting on Shrillary’s alleged anti-Semitic comments a couple of decades ago, it’s quite notable that a Jew can be on the national ticket.

2000 August 9, James Young, “The ‘conscience’ of the Senate”, in Potomac News, volume 41, number 320, Woodbridge, Va., page A6:

When Shrillary wins in November, she will appoint the most left wing loony to the Supreme Court in modern history. Shrillary will then have some flunky sue some city government over a gun ordinance and that case will go to the Supreme Court.

2016 April 12, Rick Lamming, “Letters to the Editor: No Rights from Constitution”, in Belleville News-Democrat, volume 159, number 103, Belleville, Ill., page 2C:

“I’m not a Republican,” the driver says. “But I’m not a Democrat, either, that’s for sure. You wouldn’t never catch me voting for Shrillary.” He shudders, or mock-shudders. “If I was Bill, I’d cheat on her, too.”

2018, Curtis Sittenfeld, “Gender Studies”, in You Think It, I'll Say It: Stories, New York, NY: Random House, →ISBN, page 4:

(US politics, derogatory) Hillary Clinton (born 1947), American politician and diplomat, former first lady (1993–2001) and secretary of state (2009–2013) of the United States.


European project

(informal, politics) The integration of Europe, with cross-border links between European countries. Examples include NATO, the EEC, the EU, the Euro.


para-fascism

parafascism (alternative)
para-Fascism (alternative)

/ˌpæɹəˈfæʃɪz(ə)m/

/ˌpɛɹəˈfæʃˌɪzəm/

From para- (prefix meaning ‘alongside, beside’) + fascism.

prefix

Portugal, Austria, Greece, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, the Baltic States, all provide examples of this Ersatz fascism, or what might be termed 'para-fascism'.

1996, Gunter Berghaus, Günter Berghaus, Fascism and Theatre: Comparative Studies on the Aesthetics and Politics of Performance in Europe, 1925-1945, Berghahn Books, →ISBN, page 19:

It is perhaps too early to say how Spanish para-fascism differed from (national-) Catholicism in its treatment of the foreign.

2010 October 27, C. Rundle, K. Sturge, Translation Under Fascism, Springer, →ISBN, page 113:

(fascism) A social order giving off impressions of being dynamically fascist and populist, but trying to abstain from its most radical practices.


Revisionist Maximalism

(fascism, historical) A short-lived Jewish fascist movement.


horse artillery

en-noun

horse artillery (usually uncountable, plural horse artilleries)

(military, historical) Field artillery with comparatively light guns and the gunners mounted on horses.


Queensbury

(attributive, sports, boxing, figurative) Alternative spelling of Queensberry


Bushinator

Therefore, I’ve developed my own Presidential Candidate Rating System. The PCRS is based on the four candidates – Bigoted Buchanan, the Bushinator, Garish Gore and Nincompoop Nader – ranking them on an uncurved 100 point scale, based on the Florida Public School Grading Scale.

2000 September 17, Ronald Hsu, “Bush is best – or at least, lesser of 4 evils”, in Florida Today, volume 39, number 181, Melbourne, FL: Cape Publications Inc., →ISSN, The Verge, page 12D:

And this is why we should all be preparing to move to some oil free European, Asian or African nation. Let’s face it living in Fort McMurray can’t be safe with the Bushinator back in office for another four years.

2004 November 6, Jennifer Mills, “Election results depression”, in Fort McMurray Today, volume 8, number 44, Fort McMurray, Alta., page 6:

Maybe Labour will promise to have Howard tried for war crimes, but I think the US would invade us if that happened. It would nt^([sic]) do for the Bushinator's mates to get shipped off to the^([sic]) Hague.

2006 April 23, Roger, “Re: About all this ANZAC day stuff”, in aus.politics (Usenet):

(US politics, often derogatory) George W. Bush (born 1946), the 43rd president of the United States (2001–2009).


country team

(chiefly US, espionage) A group of people in charge of a state's intelligence operations in a foreign country, typically led by an ambassador.


independent counsel

independent counsel (plural independent counsels)

(US, law, politics) A special prosecutor


Corbynization

The Corbynization of the Democratic Party also turns on militant multiculturalism. This agenda is shaped, as in Britain, by a disjointed concert of grievance groups, ranging from gender activists to those who claim to represent Latinos, African Americans, Asians, Muslims and others, whose alienation has been exacerbated by Trump’s triumph.

2016 November 27, Joel Kotkin, “The Corbynization of the Democratic Party”, in Orange County Register:

The Democrats may be far from that stage, but they stand at a crossroads if they do not act to end the onward march of American Corbynization.

2019 August 15, Robert Philpot, “Is Corbynization the Democratic Party’s Future?”, in Commentary:

“It only takes a few demagogues to pump antisemitic poison into the bloodstream of a political party. And so I see it as my mission to resist the Jeremy Corbynization of progressive politics in the United States.”

2021 January 15, Melissa Weiss, Sam Zieve Cohen, quoting Ritchie Torres, “Ritchie Torres vows to prevent the ‘Corbynization’ of progressive politics”, in Jewish Insider:

(politics) A move toward politics like those of Jeremy Corbyn of Britain's Labour Party, associated with a traditional socialist approach but marred by accusations of anti-Semitism.


Corbynism

Two accounts of Corbynism – by journalists Gabriel Pogrund and Patrick Maguire and the Guardian’s Owen Jones – unpick Labour’s rapid descent from the optimism of ‘Oh, Jeremy Corbyn’ to landslide defeat at the polls[.]

2020 September 13, John Harris, “Left Out: The Inside Story of Labour Under Corbyn; This Land: The Story of a Movement - review”, in The Observer, →ISSN:

Corbynism was as hopeful as it was hopeless. From his 2015 leadership election victory to the following general election, it offered a screen on to which people, tired of both technocratic and insipid New Labour wannabies and austerity, projected their hopes and fears. People queued round the block to hear him speak and then voted for him in droves.

2022 June 8, Neal Lawson, “Keir Starmer, you have a golden opportunity. Now try a bit of Corbynism”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

(UK politics) The political philosophy exemplified by Jeremy Corbyn of the British Labour Party, characterised by antiausterity and renationalization policies.


progressive tax

progressive tax (plural progressive taxes)

(government, taxation) a tax whose percentage increases as a person's wealth increases.


shuftiscope

(UK, military, slang, dated) An invasive medical instrument used to test a patient for dysentery.


rough book

rough books (plural)
rough-book (alternative)

(military, now rare) A rough ledger used by a warrant officer to keep track of expenses.


power of the purse

Congress has the power of the purse and can choose not to pay for a Presidential policy with which they disagree.

(government, idiomatic) The control of finances by one group used as a check on the power of another group.


staff corps

(UK, military, historical) A body of officers and soldiers who performed engineering and siege duties, made reconnaissances, etc. during the wars of Wellington.

(India, military, historical) A body of British officers serving on the permanent Indian establishment, appointed from it to do duty with native regiments, etc.


iswas

From is + was, i.e. for calculating where the target will be based on where it is and was.

(military, historical, naval slang) A kind of hand-held slide rule used for predicting the location of a target based on its current and recent positions.


driving band

(military) A band of soft metal near the base of an artillery shell which is forced into engagement with the gun's rifling upon firing, allowing the rifling to spin up the shell and providing a gastight seal around the base of the shell.


walk about

(military, historical) An order of an officer to a sentry, waiving the customary salute.


free electron

She has been called a “free electron” in politics because of her sometimes independent stances apart from party politics.

2012 October 22, Lolita Buckner-Inniss, “Christiane Taubira”, in Black Past:

Haley was a free electron, which she had obviously gotten used to, communicating directly with Trump.

2020 June 23, John Bolton, The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, page 71:

(politics, figuratively) A person who acts independently of the organization to which they belong.


Jimmy the One

By custom of the Navy the first lieutenant, or "Jimmy the One" as he is called, is in charge of cables and cablework on the forecastle.

1943, Sir Reginald Bacon, Britain's Glorious Navy, page 28:

He looks up and greets me in the bluff good-natured way that makes him popular with everyone from Jimmy the One down to our newest ordinary seaman.

2017, Martin Mace, The Royal Navy at Dunkirk:

(UK, military, slang) A first lieutenant in the navy.


Johnny Armstrong

A play on the surname Armstrong and the words arm and strong.

(navy, slang) Strenuous manual work; pulling or hauling; muscle power.


JEEP

(military) Initialism of Joint Emergency Evacuation Plan.


Lib-Lab

(UK politics, historical) A Liberal candidate who was financially maintained by trade unions and supposed to represent the working classes.


OLC

(US, law, politics, government) Initialism of Office of Legal Counsel (of the U.S. Justice Department).


Lethwei

From Burmese လက်ဝှေ့ (lakhwe., “boxing”).

(martial arts) Lethwei, Burmese bareknuckle boxing, traditional combat sport from Myanmar.


officer cadet

commissioned officer
commissioned officer

(military) A cadet in training to be a commissioned officer


Killary

Blend of kill + Hillary, inspired by conspiracy theories that allege Hillary Clinton was responsible for murders, especially in relation to Benghazi.

Just what do LIBs see in Killary?

2007 February 17, MANFRED the heat seeking OBOE, “Re:Is War A Drug For Delusional Bush?”, in alt.politics.republicans (Usenet), archived from the original on 2024-10-17:

President Obama is a foreign-born Muslim who wants to “steal everybody’s guns”; “Killary” Clinton is a murderer.

2016 November 4, anonymous author, “GOP: Can the party survive trump?”, in The Week, →ISSN, page 16:

Bringing up an old conspiracy theory, Joe accused “Killary” and her husband of eliminating threats to their political dynasty[.]

2020 December 6 [2020 July 16], Kristen Erichsen, Douglas Schrock, Benjamin Dowd-Arrow, Pierce Dignam, “Bitchifying Hillary: Trump Supporters’ Vilification of Clinton during the 2016 Presidential Election”, in Social Currents, volume 7, number 6, Southern Sociological Society, →DOI, →ISSN, page 536:

(derogatory, US politics) Nickname for Hillary Clinton, chiefly used by American conservatives.


Kapitalistate

From Das Kapital, a text by Karl Marx, and state.

(politics) According to certain Marxist beliefs, the modern capitalist state when regarded as controlled or influenced by government, rather than being a true free market.


spring searcher

spring searcher (plural spring searchers)

(firearms) A pronged tool to search for defects in the bore of a gun.


siege train

(military) The materials carried by an army for the purpose of laying siege to a place.

belägringspark

the materials carried by an army for the purpose of laying siege to a place


collaborationist state

collaborationist state (plural collaborationist states)


polylateral

Polylateral ventures with the media can allow foreign ministries to professionalise their public diplomacy.

2019, Yolanda Kemp Spies, Global South Perspectives on Diplomacy, →ISBN, page 189:

(diplomacy) involving multiple parties, including nonstate actors


NEACP

(US, military) Initialism of National Emergency Airborne Command Post: a Boeing E-4 aircraft operated by the US Air Force in emergencies.


fire arrow

(military, historical) A metal dart or arrow furnished with a combustible such as gunpowder for setting fire to ships.


knife fight

(military) A dogfight (aircraft battle) at close quarters.


kangaroo closure

kangaroo closure (countable and uncountable, plural kangaroo closures)

The skipping over certain amendments is likened to a kangaroo's leaps.

parliamentary procedure
parliamentary procedure

(politics) In parliamentary procedure, the situation where the chairman or speaker selects certain amendments for discussion and excludes others.


kangaroo ticket

kangaroo ticket (plural kangaroo tickets)

(US, politics) A ticket where the running mate is more popular than the primary candidate.


hunter-killer

(military) A submarine designed to seek and destroy other vessels.


COMINT

Blend of communications + intelligence. Compare HUMINT etc.

communications intelligence
communications intelligence#English

(espionage) Abbreviation of communications intelligence.


TELINT

(espionage) Initialism of telemetry intelligence.


FISINT

(espionage) Initialism of foreign instrumentation signals intelligence.


ayrant

Related to Middle English aire, ayre, eyre (“hawk's nest”), -ant.

inh

Bygbery, [Devon,] az. an eagle, ayrant, or, armed gu.

1828, William Berry, Encyclopaedia Heraldica, Or Complete Dictionary of Heraldry:

Az. an eagle ayrant or armed gu. BYGBERY, CO. Devon. […] Gu. an eagle ayrant or. BARDOLPH, Norfolk.

1874, John Woody Papworth, An Alphabetical Dictionary of Coats of Arms Belonging to Families in Great Britain and Ireland, pages 299–300:

Gules, an eagle ayrant or—BARDOLPH, Norfolk. / Azure, an eagle eyrant or, armed gules—BYGBERY, Devon. / Per pale or and argent, an eagle displayed perched on a ragged staff sable—PYNELL.

1894, Henry Gough, James Parker, A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry, page 215:


heel turn

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-heel turn.wav

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 ("A situation in which a wrestler previously identified as a hero changes to being considered a villain") is a pun on the word heel, which also means “a headlining wrestler whose ring persona embodies villainous or reprehensible traits”.

compound

As a result of the heel turn, [Riki] Choshu was instantly elevated as a headliner and feuded with [Tatsumi] Fujinami in main events for two years over the WWF [World Wrestling Federation] International Heavyweight strap.

2002, John F. Molinaro, edited by Jeff Marek and Dave Meltzer, Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time, Toronto, Ont.: Winding Stair Press, →ISBN, page 78, column 1:

The early 1999 destruction of [Ric] Flair in storyline fashion, even as Flair and Hulk Hogan were drawing the last of the company's great buy rates (although Flair's heel turn after drawing the last big buy rate for a SuperBrawl in San Francisco was Flair's own doing) was not a bunch of angles that were bad ideas, such as the period he was confined to a nut house (and somehow even made that drivel entertaining).

2004, Dave Meltzer, editor, Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Campbell, Calif.: Wrestling Observer Newsletter, page 1, column 2:

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

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:

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


tin fish

(UK, naval slang) Alternative form of tinfish (“torpedo”).


E&E

(military) Initialism of escape and evasion.


ERCS

w:AN/DRC-8 Emergency Rocket Communications System

(military) Initialism of Emergency Rocket Communications System.


do a never

en-verb

do a never (third-person singular simple present does a never, present participle doing a never, simple past did a never, past participle done a never)

does a never (present singular third-person)
doing a never (participle present)
did a never (past)
done a never (participle past)

The Chief Buffer has got a howl on now because he got a blast from Torps, as so many of the part of ship hands were doing a never on the messdecks instead of working the main derrick.

1943, Robert Burgess, Roland Blackburn, We Joined the Navy:

(UK, naval, slang, dated) To mess about; to idle instead of working.


NODIS

(US, military) Abbreviation of no distribution: a document classification level.


LIMDIS

(US, military) Abbreviation of limited distribution: a document classification level.


EXDIS

(US, military) Abbreviation of exclusive distribution: a document classification level.


Noddy cap

Named after a character who wore a pointed hat in children's books by Enid Blyton.

(UK, military, slang) A rubber cap protecting the nose cone of a missile.


Hawkespeak

From Hawke + -speak, first used c. 1983.

(Australian politics, colloquial, derogatory) The type of convoluted and prolix spoken diction of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke.


Jack Shalloo

A fine lad, though maybe a bit of a Jack Shalloo with the great talk.

1932, Myrtle Johnston, The Maiden, page 194:

Huh! He has just saved his ticket then. Knew to the minute, he did, when she was to cast off — asked me yesterday, he did. What the mischief does he mean by this Jack Shalloo trick? And at a time like this!

1910, The Idler: An Illustrated Monthly Magazine, volume 38, page 172:

(dated, naval slang) A careless or happy-go-lucky man.


butt pad

(firearms) A piece of padding placed on the butt of a gun for comfort and to absorb recoil.


hotbunk

hotbunk (third-person singular simple present hotbunks, present participle hotbunking, simple past and past participle hotbunked)

hotbunks (present singular third-person)
hotbunking (participle present)
hotbunked (participle past)
hotbunked (past)

(military, slang, intransitive) To share bunks on a submarine, one crewmember sleeping while another is out on duty.


L/NP

(Australian politics) Abbreviation of Liberal / National parties (coalition).


National

(Australian politics, New Zealand politics) A member of the National Party

(New Zealand politics) Clipping of New Zealand National Party


Liberal Party

Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada#English

(Canadian politics) Ellipsis of Liberal Party of Canada, or any of the provincial Liberal Parties.

Liberal Party of Australia
w:Liberal Party of Australia

(Australian politics) Ellipsis of Liberal Party of Australia.

Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats#English

(UK politics) The predecessor of the Liberal Democrats


Jack Strop

'So as not to have jack strops like you, Butcher boy,' Adams said. 'If some cowson Jerry battlewaggon's coming at me, I'd sooner someone who knew his job were at the helm, and I tell you that straight.'

1986, Alan Ross, Blindfold Games, page 211:

They were probably surprised that Jack had etiquette at all, but despite the skates and Jack Strops and their various highly dubious shore activities, when on board, Jack had enormous pride and respect for RN tradition.

2011, Rick Jolly, Jackspeak: A Guide to British Naval Slang & Usage, page 259:

(UK, naval slang) A conceited, argumentative or swaggering sailor.


safety lock

(firearms) A lock with some device for preventing accidental firing of the weapon.


Johnny Turk

(obsolete, informal, military slang) An Ottoman soldier in World War One, particularly a Turkish one.


Gallipoli gallop

(obsolete, military slang) Dysentery, as experienced by ANZACs at the Battle of Gallipoli.


Tennessee quick step

(obsolete, military slang) Dysentery, as experienced by soldiers in the United States Civil War.


hutchie

From Japanese 家 (uchi, “house”), with possible influence from hut (“shelter”) or hutch (“box”).

(dated, military slang) A dugout or shelter, especially as used in the Korean War.


shackle bolt

(heraldry) A bearing representing a fetlock for hobbling a horse.


FLPB

foreign language
foreign language#English

(military, US) Initialism of foreign language proficiency bonus.


Coalition

(Australia, politics) Ellipsis of Coalition of the Liberal Party and National Party, the Liberal-National coalition.

Coalition of the Willing
coalition of the willing#English

(US, politics) Ellipsis of Coalition of the Willing (“the coalition of nations operating under United States command against Iraq, in the U.S.-Iraq War (Gulf War II; "Iraq War") and its aftermath”).


AfD

The country’s mainstream conservatives, as polls predicted, won the largest share of votes in Sunday’s election according to official preliminary results and will be looking to form the next government, while the AfD came in second.

2025 February 24, Sophie Tanno and Nadine Schmidt, “Germany’s far-right may be frozen out of power, but the AfD is now a powerful force”, in CNN:

(German politics) Alternative for Germany (Alternative für Deutschland), a right-wing German political party.


Tridemism

Calque from Chinese 三民主義／三民主义, tri- + demo- + -ism.

Three Principles of the People
Three Principles of the People

(historical, politics) The Three Principles of the People.


MBFR

(military) Initialism of mutual and balanced force reductions.


Millerandism

From Millerand + -ism, after Alexandre Millerand (1859–1943), French politician.

(politics) The policy of a socialist choosing to join a bourgeois government.


EEFI

(military) Initialism of essential elements of friendly information.


incontinent ordinance

en-noun

incontinent ordinance (countable and uncountable, plural incontinent ordinances)

(US, military) Bombs or missiles that inadvertently strike friendly forces or sites.


ALDE

w:Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe

(EU politics) Initialism of Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.


National Front

* (France): Calque of French Front National, from front+national

Any particular party of several far-right nationalist political parties

(French politics) Former name of National Rally (“Rassemblement National”).


National Rally

Calque of French Rassemblement national.

(French politics) A far-right nationalist political party of France, formerly named National Front.


Brexit Party

(UK politics) A British single-issue trans-European political party of the European Parliament dedicated to extracting Great Britain from the European Union


Jebya

Jebya caves to his ultra-rightwing do-gooders without a clue yet fails to meet the needs of the vulnerable children of his state.

2003 October 22, Tom Jefferson, “GOP supports right to live without hope, but fights healthcare for those who can use it.”, in alt.politics.bush (Usenet):

Obviously the religious nuts have already decided that Dubya's God anointed one. They were screaming for Dubya and Jebya to throw out the rule of law and use their divinely ordained power to raise Terri Schiavo from the dead.

2005 April 4, Pete, “Re: Bush fooled by Hussein”, in soc.politics (Usenet):

Bush would've told Murkins they were traitors for not wanting his bailouts, CEO Bonuses, Wars, Cheney and Jebya's conflicts of interests and exposing spies who refused to lie for Chimpy.

2010 January 12, Palin On Beaver News, “Nobody Voted For it. Nobody Wants it. He campaigned AGAINST it.”, in talk.politics.misc (Usenet):

(US politics, often derogatory) Jeb Bush (born 1953), the 43rd governor of Florida (1999–2007) and brother of former US president George W. Bush.


EHRC

Equality and Human Rights Commission
w:Equality and Human Rights Commission

(UK politics) Initialism of Equality and Human Rights Commission.


freedom gas

Blend of freedom + natural gas. Coined by the U.S. Department of Energy in or around May 2019. Compare freedom fries.

Increasing export capacity from the Freeport LNG project is critical to spreading freedom gas throughout the world by giving America’s allies a diverse and affordable source of clean energy.

2019 May 28, [US] Department of Energy, “Department of Energy Authorizes Additional LNG Exports from Freeport LNG”, in Energy.gov:

“Freedom gas? Freedom is generally good, but freedom from glaciers, freedom from clean air, freedom from healthy forests that aren't on fire, and freedom from the world we know and cherish is not what we seek,” Inslee said in a Twitter post.

2019 May 29, Josh Siegel, quoting Jay Inslee, “Trump administration boasts of promoting 'freedom gas' and 'freedom molecules'”, in Washington Examiner:

Touted as “freedom gas” by the Donald Trump administration, LNG has quickly turned into a major export commodity for U.S. energy companies.

2020 January 27, Irina Slav, “The True Cost Of ‘Freedom Gas’”, in Oilprice.com:

Remember “freedom gas?” U.S. drillers facing a yearslong glut at home relished the opportunity to export the heating and generation fuel, but the global pandemic’s effect on demand is punishing them.

2020 June 4, Jinjoo Lee, “America’s Natural-Gas Woes Are Imported”, in Wall Street Journal:

liquefied natural gas
liquefied natural gas#English

(US, politics) Exported natural gas, particularly liquefied natural gas (“LNG”), from the United States.


MMIWG

(Canada, politics, crime) Abbreviation of National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.


MMIWG

(Canada, US, politics, crime) Abbreviation of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

FFADA (Enquête nationale sur les femmes et les filles autochtones disparues et assassinées)

FFADA (les femmes et les filles autochtones disparues et assassinées)


Pink Lady

Pink Lady (countable and uncountable, plural Pink Ladies)

Pink Ladies (plural)
pink lady (alternative)

(historical, military, uncountable) A denaturant mixture added to discourage World War II-era US Navy submariners from drinking "torpedo juice".


torpedo juice

(US, military, slang) An alcoholic beverage, first mixed in World War II, made from pineapple juice and the 180-proof grain alcohol fuel used in torpedo motors.


SRAAM

air-to-air missile
air-to-air missile#English

(military) Initialism of short-range air-to-air missile.


WVRAAM

Coordinate term: BVRAAM

(military) Initialism of within-visual-range air-to-air missile.


LRAAM

(military) Initialism of long-range air-to-air missile.


MRAAM

(military) Initialism of medium-range air-to-air missile.


BVRAAM

Coordinate term: WVRAAM

(military) Initialism of beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile.


socialist party

socialist party (plural socialist parties)

socialist parties (plural)
Socialist Party (alternative)

(politics) A political party which advocates socialist ideals.


COALition

2017 Giles Parkinson, Big utilities about to pay price of saying no to coal and COALition Renew Economy, 11 September 2017. Accessed 3 June 2019.

2019 David Llewellyn-Smith, Can Albo out-coal the COALition? MacroBusiness, 28 May 2019. Accessed 3 June 2019.

(Australia, politics, slang, mildly derogatory) The Coalition of the Liberal Party and the National Party, emphasising its pro-coal policies.


reverse charge

This delivery is subject to reverse charge in the country of receipt.

(taxation) Added to an invoice to indicate that receiver of the goods or services in another member state of European Union is responsible for paying VAT.


senior hurling

In Gaelic games, including hurling, the "senior" grade is the highest level of competition. In 2007, the Green Party entered government for the first time in coalition with Fianna Fáil, and Séamus Brennan of Fianna Fáil quipped to the Green Party ministers, "you're playing senior hurling now".

I urge Sinn Féin and the DUP to come together to ensure they can address the problems that have arisen in regard to the Social Welfare Bill. … I remind our Sinn Féin colleagues that they are playing senior hurling now and the issue must be resolved if they are to aspire to being in government in both the North and the South of Ireland.

2015 March 10, Michael Mullins, "Order of Business" Seanad Éireann debates (Oireachtas)

Sinn Féin are 'spinning' an election disaster as a victory, while party president Gerry Adams needs to stop claiming he is being victimised by the media and realise "this is senior hurling", according to writer and former politician Eoghan Harris.

2016 February 29, '"Sinn Féin are spinning that they had a good election. They had an appalling election" - Eoghan Harris reviews #GE16' (Newstalk)

Brendan Howlin: I join with others in appealing to the Taoiseach, as Leader of this House, to forge a common view on the outrageous actions of the Trump Administration in its first ten days of office. … I would ask the Taoiseach to acknowledge that it is not business as usual. …
Enda Kenny: In respect of Deputy Howlin's remark, I agree it is not business as usual any more. It is not politics as usual anymore. Senior hurling has gone global. In that sense, we have got to stand up for what we believe in and politicians and leaders can differ.

2017 January 31, "Questions — Official Engagements" Dáil Éireann Debates (Oireachtas)

Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan has weathered the storms of the last couple of months, showing a streak too tough to be pushed out by the politicians in Leinster House.
But when the ball was thrown in to commence a public session of the Policing Authority on Thursday, it was senior hurling all the way.

2017 April 28, Conor Lally, “Tough game of senior hurling at Policing Authority session”, in The Irish Times:

The question is how to make Brexit work for all of us. … Phase one was the easiest, if any of it could be called easy. Phase two is what will really be difficult. We are into senior hurling now, to use an Irish phrase. The British will understand that pretty soon.

2018 February 1, Darragh O'Brien, "Brexit Issues: British Irish Chamber of Commerce" Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence debate (Oireachtas)

(Ireland, politics, figurative) serious, difficult, important business; hardball


LRIP

low rate initial production
low rate initial production#English

(military) Abbreviation of low rate initial production.

low rate income pool
low rate income pool#English

(Canada, taxation) Abbreviation of low rate income pool.


dropping fire

(military) A continuous irregular discharge of small arms.


socialism in one country

(socialism) The theory and practice of attaining socialism without world revolution.


overbureaucratization

From over- + bureaucratization. Attested since the 20th century.

over-bureaucratisation (alternative)
overbureaucratisation (alternative)
over-bureaucratization (alternative)


wash-up period

(politics) The last few days before a parliament is dissolved in which important legislation must be concluded.


neoclassical liberalism

Jardine says the neoclassical liberalism of the postindustrial economy contained two major postulates: a return to laissez-faire economics and a revival of Protestant morality to counteract the growing moral permissiveness.

2013, Arthur W. Hunt with Anthony Selvaggio, chapter 5, in Surviving Technopolis: Essays on Finding Balance in Our New Man-Made Environments, Wipf and Stock Publishers, →ISBN, page 68:

(capitalism) Capitalist ideology which stresses the importance of deregulation and private ownership over the means of production.

(capitalism) Capitalist ideology that focuses on the compatibility of support for civil liberties and free markets on the one hand and a concern for social justice or the worst-off’s well-being on the other.


cherch

en-verb

cherch (third-person singular simple present cherches, present participle cherching, simple past and past participle cherched)

cherches (present singular third-person)
cherching (participle present)
cherched (participle past)
cherched (past)

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

(US military slang, World War I) To scrounge, to obtain in an unintended fashion, to scrape together.


coastwatching

(historical, military) The military intelligence work of the coastwatchers.


off-reckoning

(historical, UK, military) An allowance formerly made to certain British officers from the money appropriated for army clothing.


dog tent

Compound of dog + tent, for its resemblance to a kennel. Attested from the middle 19th century.

The men now had their rifles and 100 rounds of ammunition, one blanket, one shelter-half (one-half a dog tent), one rubber poncho, one coffee-tin, one knife, fork, and spoon, one tin cooking-pan and cover, one canteen and haversack containing three day’s provisions

1898, T.P. Conneff, “Campaigning with the 12th U.S. Infantry”, in The Holy Cross Purple, volume 7, page 72:

Under best circumstances, the shelter tent, also called a "dog" tent, afforded only minimal protection to its inhabitants

1982, Dean Nelson, “‘Right Nice Little House[s]’: Impermanent Camp Architecture of the American Civil War”, in Perspectives in Vernacular Architecture, volume 1, →DOI, page 80:

(originally US, military slang, historical) A small shelter tent, especially a tent composed of two shelter-halves.


shelter half

shelter halves (plural)
shelter-half (alternative)

From shelter + half; compare shelter tent. From mid 19th century.

Soldiers were each issued as standard field equipment a woolen blanket, a rubberized or painted muslin blanket or poncho, and a canvas shelter half or tent half with a series of buttons and buttonholes placed on three sides to enable them to be fastened together in various combinations. It was general practice for soldiers to pair off to share sleeping equipment, in effect doubling their potential warmth.

(military) A canvas sheet that, when combined with another, comprises a shelter tent; one half of a shelter tent.


deluge gun

(firefighting) An aimable high-capacity water jet used in firefighting and fire protection systems.


veruled

a hunting-horn, vert, veruled or

27. a bugle-horn, sa., veruled or, stringed gu. pl. 88, n. 19.

1851, The Book of Family Crests; Comprising Nearly Every Family Bearing, Properly Blazoned and Explained, Accompanied by Upwards of Four Thousand Engravings ...: Dictionary, page 382:

BURTON, Yorks., an arm, couped and erect, vested, per pale, ar. and gu., cuffed, of the first, in hand, ppr., a walking staff, of the second, headed, rimmed, and veruled, or. Pl. 18, cr. 1.

1860, James Fairbairn, Fairbairn's Crests of the families of Great Britain and Ireland. Revised by L. Butters, ed.by J. Maclaren, page 88:

Hunter. Scotland, a hunting-horn vert, veruled or, and stringed gu.

1892, James Fairbairn, Fairbairn's Book of Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland, page 232:

[…] crowned or, in sinister chief an anchor and cannon saltirewise argent (badge of the IX Corps, Civil War); on a canton of the last a tomahawk and a powder horn crosswise azure, stringed and veruled of the second.

(heraldry) Alternative form of viroled (“ringed in a different tincture”).


main belt

main belts (plural)
Main Belt (alternative)

(nautical, military) The primary belt of armor protecting the sides of a warship above and slightly below the waterline.


countercolonial

en-adj

countercolonial (comparative more countercolonial, superlative most countercolonial)

more countercolonial (comparative)
most countercolonial (superlative)


Italian Social Republic

collaborationist state
collaborationist state

(fascism) A collaborationist state that existed from 1943 to 1945.


NEX

I'm going to the NEX to do my Christmas shopping.

(military, US) Abbreviation of Navy Exchange, a department-store chain operated by the United States Navy exclusively for the military and their families, allies, and certain other individuals.


rizom

Rizoms of Oats, [...]
Rizomes, the spearsed ears of Oats in the Straw, a Rizome head, a chaffy sparsed head

1688, Randle Holme, The academy of armory, book 2, chapter VI:

… the Corns in the Husk. / Some, in stead of an Ear, have a rizom (or plume) conteining the Corns by bunches, as, Oats, …

1659, Johann Amos Comenius, Joh. Amos Commenii Orbis sensualium pictus, […], XVII, Corn

The corn, or fruit, at the top of an oat-stalk is not generally termed the ear, but the rizom; and in old heraldry it is sometimes blazoned an oat-stalk, bladed and rizomed.

1828, William Berry, Encyclopædia Heraldica: Or, Complete Dictionary of Heraldry:

(also heraldry) A plume or ear, as of oats or corn.


skip bombing

(aviation, military) A low-level bombing technique where an aircraft attacks shipping by skipping the bomb across the water like a thrown stone.


field train

(military) A department of the Royal Artillery responsible for the safety and supply of ammunition during war.


inland revenue

en-noun

inland revenue (countable and uncountable, plural inland revenues)

(taxation) Revenue that is derived from stamps, excise, income tax, etc.


Locofoco

From locofoco (“a match”); the term originated when a group of New York Jacksonians used such matches to light candles to continue a political meeting after Tammany men tried to break up the meeting by turning off the gaslights.

(US, politics, historical) A member of a faction of the US Democratic Party in the early 1800s, formed in New York City as a protest against that city's regular Democratic organization, Tammany Hall.


battle station

battle stations (plural)
battlestation (alternative)

(military) The position taken by a member of a military force when preparing for battle.


indy-curious

/ˌɪndiˈkjʊəɹɪəs/

(UK politics) Interested in the possibility of independence (for Wales), without necessarily being in favour of it.


bare-knuckle

The bare-knuckle boxing era ended in the early 20th century, when gloves were introduced, stricter rules implemented and oversight organizations formed.

2009, David Lindholm, Ulf Karlsson, Bare-Knuckle Boxer's Companion, →ISBN:

In bare-knuckle fights, one of the most frequent injuries is a broken hand.

2012, Ken Shamrock, Richard Hanner, Inside the Lion's Den, →ISBN:

He was known as a tough bare-knuckle boxer and had already consolidated a reputation from his teenage years, when he had first thrown his fists in anger.

2013, Eamon Dillon, Gypsy Empire, →ISBN, page 126:

The difference between a street fight and a bare-knuckle boxing match is an accepted set of rules, such as not striking a downed opponent.

2015, Patrick White, The Legends of Bare-knuckle Boxing: The History & the Champions, →ISBN:


counter-opposition

counter-opposition (countable and uncountable, plural counter-oppositions)

counter-oppositions (plural)
counteropposition (alternative)

(politics, sometimes attributive) The force acting against the opposition.


Syrianization

(politics) A form of Balkanization; the fragmentation and destruction of a state into smaller, often hostile regions.


Hanoi Hilton

From Hanoi + Hilton.
An alliterative construction, pairing the location Hanoi (metonymically referring to North Vietnam) with a word referring to lodgings. An ironic reference to the Hilton chain of luxury hotels.

The Hilton Hanoi Opera hotel has opened, a few blocks from Hoa Lo, the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” where American prisoners were held during the Vietnam War. (The few remaining cells of that prison have been preserved as a museum.)

1999 May 30, Luba Vangelova, “From the Hanoi Hilton To the Hilton Hanoi”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

prisoners of war
prisoner of war#English

(US, military, slang, historical) Hỏa Lò Prison in Vietnam, where prisoners of war were held.


CrASBO

(British, law enforcement) Acronym of criminal antisocial behaviour order, a restriction like an ASBO, but where the forbidden behaviour constitutes a crime.


Monty coat

After British officer Bernard Montgomery.


unipartisan

(politics) relating to, or supported by one group, especially by one political party


nullificationist

(US, politics) One who believes that individual states of the United States should be able to exempt themselves selectively from federal laws.


fightability

It incorporates a massive investment in digitization in its on-board systems, all aimed at improving the reliability, fightability, and operational capability of the tank.

The total weight of the items worn and carried by the squad leader and infantry rifleman cannot be increased as capability and functionality is increased because of the adverse effects on mobility and fightability.


provost marshal

commissioned officer
commissioned officer

(military) The person in charge of a group of military police; now usually a senior commissioned officer.


Red Republican

(historical, politics) A violent Republican.


crowbill

crowbills (plural)
crow-bill (alternative)

From crow (“bird of the genus Corvus”) + bill (“beak of a bird”). Sense 1 (“kind of forceps”) is probably from its appearance, while sense 2 (“type of poleaxe”) is a calque of French bec de corbin (literally “crow or raven's beak”).

calque

(weaponry, historical) Synonym of bec de corbin (“poleaxe with a modified hammerhead and a spike mounted on the top of the pole”).


five-alarm

(firefighting) The highest priority category of a multialarm fire.


get woke, go broke

Attributed to American author John Ringo.

According to Ringo, the convention then pushed its conservative members out of its planning committee, attendance dropped over years, and it’s now defunct. “Get woke, go broke,” he says of any organization who bows to SJW pressure.

2018 April 17, Jon del Arroz, “Author John Ringo Responds to SJW Assault That Led to Sci-Fi Convention Ban”, in Dangerous, archived from the original on 2018-04-17:

Get woke, go broke isn’t just about money, it’s about credibility and truth. These people have been broken by their own pride, their sense of entitlement, and their own disdain of anyone who does not agree with them.

2018 May 19, David Prentice, “Code Red: The Coming Eruption”, in American Thinker:

This led to the biting critical slogan “Get woke, go broke” to characterise the commercial failure of “woke” (“politically enlightened”) policies in an open marketplace.

2019, Alexander Adams, Culture War: Art, Identity Politics and Cultural Entryism:

(informal, neologism, politics) Businesses that focus on social activism to align themselves with social justice are liable to lose customers.

éveillé mais fauché

businesses that attempt to align themselves with social justice causes are liable to lose customers

trop de politiquement correct c'est économiquement incorrect


Blighty one

From the fact that such a wound would have one be sent back to England (Blighty).

Though my thoughts did not formulate themselves so clearly or so crudely at the time, I had a “Blighty” one, that sort of wound that all the soldiers sighed and sang for (“Take me back to dear old Blighty”), and my platoon, in which I had taken much pride, could now look after itself.

2012, J. R. Ackerley, My Father and Myself, →ISBN:

'Well, Smudge,' says Danny, 'I heard you'd copped a Blighty One.'

2014, Tony Bradman, Stories of World War One, →ISBN:

'Well, lad, you've got yourself a Blighty one, by the looks!' The orderly patted Mark's neatly bandaged torso.

How often on the march one had looked back oneself into a passing ambulance and wished, rather shamefully, for a “Blighty” one.

2014, E.G.D. Living, Walking into Hell 1st July 1916: Memoirs of the First Day of the Somme, →ISBN:

(military slang) A wound that is relatively minor, but sufficiently severe that one will be sent to the hospital in England.


Blighty bag

From Blighty one (“a wound that gets one sent away from the front to hospital”).

Carrie May Hall: "Tell the women to make 'Blighty' bags!

1991, Dorothy Schneider, Carl J. Schneider, Into the breach: American women overseas in World War I, page 298:

Two lightly wounded men, detailed to help, took his belongings and put them in a 'Blighty bag,' carefully marking his name, rank, serial number, and unit.

2005, John Warner, Emperor of the East Slope, →ISBN, page 84:

Their treasures are put in little bags, ′Blighty bags′, the boys call them.

2018, Susanna de Vries, Australian Heroines of World War One, →ISBN:

(military slang) A small bag that holds a wounded soldier's personal effects and accompanies him to hospital.


incendigel

(military) A mixture of petrol, benzene and polystyrene, used like napalm.


heavy marching order

(military) The condition of troops fully equipped for field service.


saddler sergeant

en-noun

saddler sergeant (plural saddler sergeants)

(military, historical) A sergeant in the cavalry who has charge of the saddlers.

(US, military, historical) A non-commissioned staff officer of a cavalry regiment.


proof mark

(firearms) A mark stamped on a gun to show that it has been tested successfully.


personocracy

Personocracy, unlike democracy, cares for each and every person and not just for the majority.

1996, Bill Metcalf, William James Metcalf, Shared Visions, Shared Lives: Communal Living Around the Globe:

The main characteristic of personocracy is that it "promotes the participation of all members in governmental decision[s]" while showing "the same concern for the individual members of our community as the Personalized System of Instruction shows for individual students".

2010, Hilke Kuhlman, Living Walden Two, page 154:

(politics) A more participatory form of democracy, intended to care for every person and not just the majority.


watering call

(military, historical) A signal sounded to instruct soldiers that it is time to water their horses.


confidence motion

confidence motion (plural confidence motions)

If Mr Johnson lost a confidence motion, he could abandon no-deal to try to regain MPs’ confidence. Failing that, unless an alternative government is formed, a general election would follow.

2019 August 29, “The Guardian view on Johnson v parliament: an unelective dictatorship”, in The Guardian:

vote of no confidence
vote of no confidence#English

(politics) Synonym of vote of no confidence.

Deputy Chief Whip Craig Whittaker told them it will be a “100% hard” three-line whip, saying: “This is not a motion on fracking. This is a confidence motion in the Government.”

2022 October 19, Ashley Cowburn, quoting Craig Whittaker, “Liz Truss declares fracking vote tonight a ‘confidence motion’ in her government”, in Mirror:

(politics, informal) A regular motion that serves as an informal indicator of confidence in the current leader or government.


bombing run

There’s palpable peril in the squadron’s ever-mounting bombing runs, and Cathcart’s moving target of a mission quota makes a clever parallel to contemporary America’s Forever War, but the flight sequences wind up acquiring a deadening repetitiousness

2019 May 16, Erik Adams, “A potent satire has its wings clipped in Catch-22”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 2019-09-01:

(military) The route of a bomber as it approaches its target; a sortie of a bomber


Tartan Tory

Tartan Tories (plural)
tartan Tory (alternative)

Compound of tartan (“distinctive pattern of cloth used by a Scottish clan”) + Tory (“Conservative”).

compound

(Scotland, UK politics, somewhat dated) A member or supporter of the Scottish National Party, connoting sentimentality or old-fashionedness.


beer lever

From the resemblance to the taps used to pull pints of beer in a public house.

(military, slang) The control column of an aircraft.


scalphunter

There is one class of spook we have not encountered as yet. This is the scalp-hunter, or defector-hunter. Quite often a scalp-hunter will be more valuable than almost any other intelligence operator.

1982, Richard Deacon, With My Little Eye: The Memoirs of a Spy-Hunter, page 103:

But agency policy is that the case officer is, in the jargon, a "scalp hunter" who must turn a contact into an agent […]

2002, Angelo Codevilla, Informing Statecraft, page 82:

(espionage) An agent who vets potential defectors.


corporation tax

en-noun

corporation tax (plural corporation taxes)

(British, taxation) Synonym of corporate tax.


feather merchant

feather merchant (plural feather merchants)

But do you know that you are also a feather merchant-you and 120,000,000 other Americans? "Feather Merchants" is G.I. slang for civilians, and Max Shulman has done a book which points out why with a million irreverent, barbed laughs.

1944, The Publishers Weekly - Volume 145, page 1193:

One more point, the aide says, also, this Arthur Zooks is not only the general's high-school classmate, but is a Very Important Person —in Feather Merchant circles.

1948, Infantry Journal - Volumes 62-63, page 24:

"I think you're a goddamn feather merchant." When he saw that this had sort of stunned Lowell, he went on. "A word of advice, feather merchant: Don't try to take advantage of being the general's lady's golf pro and instructor in kraut."

1982, W. E. B. Griffin, Brotherhood of war, book 1: the lieutenants, page 151:

Every soldier knows that “feather merchants” means civilians, but few know why it does. The origins of the term are indeed cloaked in mystery.

2016, Max Shulman, The Feather Merchants: A Novel:

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.


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)
yield the field (alternative)

(military) To withdraw from a military confrontation; to yield control of a battlefield to one's opponent.


Hollywood shower

en-noun

Hollywood shower (plural Hollywood showers)

(naval slang) A long, luxurious shower, as opposed to a "navy shower".


chinlock

(wrestling) A position in which one wrestler grabs the other's chin, particularly with the attacker's knees on the opponent's upper back.


hybrid bill

'Similarly, I intend to continue to progress the next stages of the hybrid bill for Phase 2a, West Midlands to Crewe, in the House of Lords while the review is ongoing'.

2019 October, Dan Harvey, “HS2 costs rise as schedule slips”, in Modern Railways, page 9:

(government, UK) A parliamentary bill that combines the characteristics of a private bill and a public bill.


private bill

(government, UK) A parliamentary bill promoted by an organisation such as a local authority or company in order to obtain powers to do something.

The Senate to-day passed upwards of fifty private bills, and the House quite as many. None of them, however, were of much magnitude.

1860 April 7, “From Washington”, in The New York Times:

A similar bill was passed in 2012 to give permanent residency to a Nigerian student who sought to pursue a medical degree and continue receiving treatment for a rare genetic disorder that caused large facial tumors. It was the last time a “private bill” became law.

2017 July 11, Emily Cochrane, “Lawmakers Push to Give Terminally Ill British Baby U.S. Residency”, in The New York Times:

(government, US) An item of legislation for the benefit of a particular individual, not codified with generally applicable laws.


Hildebeast

Hildebeast (canonical)
the Hildebeast (canonical)
Hildabeast (alternative)

Blend of Hillary + wildebeest, beast, coined or popularized by conservative radio host Neal Boortz.

And, naturally, it was the one politician who “has never showed [sic] anything but contempt for our military” who refused to meet with the delegation. Who? Who else: “the Queen herself, the Hildebeast—Hillary Clinton.”

2002 July 21, Carol Muske-Dukes, “The Electronic Pillory”, in Los Angeles Times, page M6:

Trouble for some is, the Hildebeast is ahead.

2007 November 23, Marie Cocco, “Having it both ways with Hillary”, in The Palm Beach Post, volume 99, number 213, page 15A:

It’s not too soon for Republicans to marshal our forces for a little shock and awe when the Hildebeast finally announces.

2013 November 2, “Republicans will need more than attacks on Hillary”, in Calgary Herald, page A11:

It is just another chance for libs to showcase their ignorance and express faux outrage just like the hypocrisy they display when comparing Sarah Palin and the Hildebeast.

2015 April 14, R Craig Bolander, “The daily STEW”, in Star-Telegram, 109th year, number 354, Fort Worth, Tex., page 15A:

Lesser people have gone to prison or had their careers destroyed for far less than what this criminal has done. But, hey, there’s nothing to see here, let’s move on. After all, she is the Hildebeast.

2015 September 6, Roddy D. Riggs, “What difference?”, in Belleville News-Democrat, page C2:

First Amendment will be reduced to rubble if Hildebeast is elected so maybe you can petition her to outlaw anti-Lobo speak.

2016 October 28, Jim, “Sports Speak Up!”, in Albuquerque Journal, page D4:

GHS are you guys smoking pot or doing coke to invite Hildebeast to speak.

2017 October 14, Tom Ambrosia, “30 Seconds”, in Press Enterprise, page 26:

(slang, derogatory, US politics) Hillary Clinton.


Hildabeast

Hildabeast (canonical)
the Hildabeast (canonical)

If a person like Hildabeast can run with all the criminal activity she’s involved in, all hope is lost.

2016 July 22, Bloom man [pseudonym], “:30”, in Press Enterprise, Bloomsburg, Pa., page 25, column 1:

Hildabeast sells the remaining 80 percent of American uranium to Russia, after Putin’s assurance that it is strictly for “medical research.”

2016 December 31, David Mosley, “Republican Worst Fears”, in “Our Worst Fears”, in Waco Tribune-Herald, Waco, Tex., page 105, column 2:

It appears that the Hildabeast hired some tech people to infiltrate the Trump campaign computer servers to try and plant LIES about Trump being involved with Russia.

2022 March 6, Stan Crone Jr, “:30”, in Press Enterprise, Bloomsburg, Pa., page 15, column 5:

(derogatory, US politics) Alternative spelling of Hildebeast.


left face

(especially military) The act of a person turning to the left.


créquier

From French créquier, from Old French crekere, derived from Old French creque, creke, borrowed from Middle Dutch crieke, related to Middle High German kreke (whence German Krieche (“damson plum”)).

83, the arms of the Créquy family are the créquier gules on a field or; see the picture.

Gules, a créquier argent, are the arms of LE JOSNE (now LE JEUNE) Marquis DE CONTOY. Argent , a nut tree eradicated vert, is borne by NOZIER, and NOGARET in France, and by FACCHINETTI in Italy.

1896, John Woodward, A Treatise on Heraldry, British and Foreign: With English and French Glossaries, page 335:

(heraldry) A highly stylized tree of seven (less commonly, five) symmetrical branches, typically also depicted fruited, typically identified in English and French heraldic works as a wild cherry or wild plum.


Stormont

The proposal requires Stormont to approve the special arrangements for Northern Ireland to remain aligned with the EU before the end of the transition period and every four years after that.

2019 October 3, Lisa O'Carroll, “What are the concerns over Stormont's role in proposed Brexit deal?”, in The Guardian:

Downing Street hopes the package, combined with parallel negotiations with the DUP over post-Brexit trading arrangements, will persuade the DUP leader, Jeffrey Donaldson, to restore Stormont after almost two years of political stasis.

2023 December 11, Rory Carroll, Ben Quinn, “Northern Irish leaders offered £2.5bn package in bid to revive Stormont”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly

(metonymic, UK politics) The Northern Ireland Assembly.


rope and choke

(US, naval slang) The measurement of a person's body fat, by means of a measuring tape around parts of the body, to determine whether they meet physical fitness standards for service.


Wexit

Blend of west + exit. Modeled on Brexit and Grexit.

Steve Hofmeyr is full of praise for Brexit, and has suggested Capetonians vote for their own Wexit - the exit of the Western Cape from South Africa.

2016 June 27, “Hofmeyr reks bek on Brexit”, in Daily Voice:

2016 July 27, “' The Wexit is coming '”, in The Citizen:

But its supporters are adamant no prudish IEC officials can stop them from throwing their weight behind other political formations that share their values of a "Wexit" — Western Cape exit from South Africa.

2019 February 1, Lester Kiewit, “Cape’s race tensions fuel 'Wexit'”, in Mail and Guardian:

(South Africa, politics) The secession of the Western Cape from South Africa.

It's impressive that Jay Hill, the former Reform and Tory MP and former cabinet member, was at this weekend's "Wexit" (Western exit) conference in Calgary.

2019 August 12, Lorne Gunter, “Alberta separatism at this point a non-viable movement”, in Edmonton Sun:

The Alberta government has issued pointed criticism at a Toronto tech company that chose Halifax over Calgary over converns about provincial tax policy and Wexit.

2019 December 11, Zane Schwartz, “Alberta government critical of Wattpad's concerns”, in Calgary Herald:

The poll found that 74 per cent of Albertans had heard of the "Wexit" movement and that number rose to 86 per cent when the term was explained to the respondent.

2020 February 13, Stuart Thomson, “Nearly 80 per cent of Albertans think the country is in the midst of a unity crisis: poll”, in Windsor Star:

(Canada, politics) The secession of the provinces of Western Canada, particularly Alberta, from Canada (generally excludes British Columbia).

(Australia, politics) Alternative form of Waxit (“Western Australia exit”).


Quexit

Blend of Quebec + exit. Modeled after Brexit and Grexit.

But a Quexit's threat to Canada would be existential, in itself.

2016 June 29, Andrew Coyne, “Brexit no model for Quexit”, in National Post:

Britain is living out the nightmare we Canadians dodged. We spent decades debating our country’s future, but somehow avoided Quexit.

2017 July 1, Josh Freed, “Oh Canada, let's show some national pride”, in Montreal Gazette:

Separatism is in again, Quexit edition: In recent years the Parti Quebecois has downplayed separatist messaging but after the Bloc’s big federal election win the PQ is getting back to its independence roots.

2019 November 11, Jason Kirby, “Alberta likes what Quebec's been cooking on the independence front”, in Macleans:

(Canada, politics) The secession of the province of Quebec from Canada.


Quexit

Blend of Queensland + exit. Modeled after Brexit and Grexit.

Pauline Hanson's election to the senate in Queensland has prompted calls for a 'Quexit' by those unhappy with the result.

2016 July 3, Leith Huffadine, “'Quexit' vote call to separate Queensland from the rest of Australia emerges after state's controversial politician Pauline Hanson gains a senate seat”, in Daily Mail:

Move over Brexit, angry regional Queenslanders are talking 'Quexit' as they feel the state Labor government has taken too long to make a decision on the proposed Adani coal mine in the Galilee Basin.

2019 May 23, Robyn Wuth, “Regional Queenslanders call for 'Quexit' over Adani”, in Brisbane Times:

But as the final results rolled in this week, eventually handing Mr Morison an unexpected majority and increased mandate, the northeastern state has faced mischievous calls for a "Quexit".

2019 May 25, Phil Mercer, “'Quexit': Australian Labor voters want Queensland expelled for backing Scott Morrison over climate policy”, in The Telegraph:

(Australia, politics) The secession or expulsion of the state of Queensland from Australia.


walking fire

walking fire (countable and uncountable, plural walking fires)

To counter this the French introduced 'walking fire'. The infantry used man-carried automatic weapons to keep the defender pinned down with a continuous hail of bullets for those last dangerous yards.

Walking fire was used to sweep an area with artillery. Assaulting infantry often approached an objective from behind the walking fires; this kept the enemy under cover until the assaulting troops were almost on top of them.

1990, Gregory R. Clark, Words of the Vietnam War:

Although difficult to learn and to perform, walking fire, when practiced in co-ordination with hand- and rifle grenadiers, was the essence of training for the assault.

1995, Gerard Demaison, Yves Buffetaut, R. Blake Stevens, Honour bound: the Chauchat machine rifle, page 61:

In the Pacific theater, the navy, marines, and army learned and perfected the technique of providing assaulting infantry with a wall of walking fire.

2003, Adrian R. Lewis, Omaha Beach: A Flawed Victory, page 222:

(military) A line of infantry equipped with automatic weapons advancing in a coordinated attack.


zigger

Ukraine breaking away from Russia's sphere of influence and joining Europe and the West is based. Russia is a zigger shithole.

2023 June 14, Anglospherist 🇬🇧🇺🇸🇨🇦🇦🇺🇳🇿🇫🇰🇮🇪🇮🇲🇬🇮, Twitter:

Pakis may be annoying, but at least they're Muslim and actually like Turkey. Ziggers move there and still paint Zs on their cars.

It's so insane how ziggers will completely deny anything bad about Russians.

2023 June 24, Emirhan Niyazi Ozanich, Twitter:

Fuck me, there's actually more ziggers on telegram than there are here on twitter 😒.

2023 June 29, Zelenskyy (now banned), Twitter:

Why are they dancing?!?!? Don't they know ziggers are complaining and posting Strelkovisms on twitter!?!?!

2023 July 15, Л?берал_𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 🧠🎮, Twitter:

(slang, derogatory, vulgar, offensive, neologism, politics) Someone who supports the policy or doctrine of the Kremlin and the Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022).


coalition builder

coalition builder (plural coalition builders)

Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament

(politics) A tool, app or program that calculates the sums of Members of Parliament between the parties for possible government coalitions, given the results of an election.


lee gauge

lee-gage (alternative)
lee gage (alternative)

The ship, or fleet, with the lee-gage could not attack ; if it did not wish to retreat, its action was confined to the defensive, and to receiving battle on the enemy’s terms.

1890, Alfred Thayer Mahan, The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783, page 6:

In 1694, the 40-gun ship “Scarborough” was captured off Tory Island in very much the same manner as the “Anglesea,” that is, by the enemy taking the lee gauge ; and going back still further, the printed accounts of the Four Days’ Fight, in June, 1666, all dwell on the disadvantage which we were at by being to windward of the enemy.

1896, J.K. Laughton, “The study of naval history”, in Journal of the Royal United Service Institution, Whitehall Yard, page 804:

(obsolete, naval) The position of a sailing vessel leeward of another in battle, often restricting manoeuvrability and gunnery.


DNI

DNI (countable and uncountable, plural DNIs)

“D.N.I. Gabbard is an important member of the president’s team and her work continues to serve him and this country well,” Mr. Cheung said.

2025 June 20, Julian E. Barnes, Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Swan, quoting Steven Cheung, “Trump’s Rebuke of Gabbard Signals an Uneasy Moment”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

director of national intelligence
w:director of national intelligence

(US politics) Initialism of director of national intelligence


Greater United States

United States of America
United States of America

(politics) The United States of America considered with its territories or neocolonies.


Jacindamania

When asked how long Jacindamania might play out, Edwards replied: “Nine years?

2017 September 7, Kate Shuttleworth, “Jacindamania: rocketing rise of New Zealand Labour's fresh political hope”, in The Guardian:

Jacindamania followed Trudeaumania in indicating that leadership in campaigns can alter political fortunes in a very short time.

2018, Patrick Weller, The Prime Ministers' Craft:

There's little chance Jacindamania would happen again.

2019 October 20, Heather du Plessis-Allan, “Jacindamania II is not on the cards”, in New Zealand Herald:

While Jacindamania could perhaps now better be described as Jacinda-meh-nia, [Grant] Robertson says Jacinda Ardern is still the best person for the job. “Jacinda is still really well respected in New Zealand. […]”

2022 May 13, Eva Corlett, “As the shine comes off NZ Labour, Grant Robertson hopes his budget can steady the ship”, in The Guardian:

(New Zealand politics) Fervent admiration of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.


decocker

(firearms) A device in certain firearms that uncocks the weapon.


white belt

white belt (countable and uncountable, plural white belts)

A new student is appointed to the tenth kyu (step), or initial white belt stage.

1983, Thomas H. Makiyama, Steve Sanders, Keijutsukai Aikido: Japanese Art of Self-defense, page 166:

A typical school might start beginner students at white belt.

2010, Jim Ollhoff, Martial Arts Around the Globe, page 30:

This mountain you start from white belt and finish at black belt, the path up the mountain will have many twists and turns, and occasionally lead you astray.

2013, Aaron Smalley, Developing the Mindset of a Black Belt, page 97:

There's a saying my karate buddy used to tell me when talking about white belt (beginner) versus black belt (expert) karate skills. He said, “Pros are predictable, amateurs are dangerous!”

2014, Dave Erickson, JP Grebenc, Superior Texas Hold'em: Evolved Poker Strategy:

(martial arts, uncountable) The lowest rank; beginner level.

He decided to stay and clean the floor, as he had done when he was a white belt.

2006, Richard C. Gould, Red Sun on the Journey, page 23:

When a karate student is a white belt, the student aspires to be a black belt, the top color of karate belts, someday.

2011, Annemarie Algeo, Fat, Fit, and (Almost) Fifty, page 35:

I started attending on Sundays, and teamed up with Ian and another 'white belt', we got a 'green belt' - Ralph, to show us our first Kata.

2012, Tom Hill, Essays for Black Belt: 20 Inspirational Student Stories:

(martial arts, countable) A student at the white belt level.

For example students holding a white belt who pass the exam for high white, will wear a yellow stripe on their white belt.

2008, Master Richard Gordon, The Complete Guide to Tae Kwon Do: Reference Manual, page 3:

My one hope as I tie this white belt on you, sir, is that one day you do me the honor of tying on your black belt.

2017, Master Taekwon Lee, Jeffrey Nodelman, Ara's Rocky Road to White Belt, page 92:

(martial arts, countable) The belt worn by a student of white belt rank as a symbol of rank.


at speed

(heraldry) Courant, in full chase: running, at full stride with its legs in the air.


leftoid

I had always thought it was the leftoids who were against monarchy, but it was the writer's view that the real threat came from radical Tories who believed everything should be subject to an unfettered free market […]

1996, C. C. Benison, Death at Buckingham Palace, page 130:

[…] who took up arms with the KLA and Pakistani forces before training with Osama's freedom fighters, is a curious figure to be celebrated by peacenik leftoids […]

2005, The Bulletin, numbers 6473-6480, page 74:

And just because leftoids make tripe from their position of strength is no reason for trads to make schlock from their position of weakness.

2024 June 18, Spencer Klavan, “A Matter of Taste”, in The American Mind:

(politics, Internet slang, derogatory) Leftist, left-winger


Folsomite

(US, politics, historical) A supporter of Jim Folsom (James Elisha Folsom Sr.; 1908–1987), American politician who served as the 42nd governor of the state of Alabama.


Tory Party

(UK politics, historical) Any of several centre-right groupings that historically existed in the UK Parliament between 1678 and the 1800s. Members of the Tory Party founded the modern Conservative Party.

Mr Cleverly, the Chairman of the Tory Party, hit out at Philip Hammond following his announcement to not stand as Conservative MP in the December 12 election.

2019 November 5, Claire Anderson, “James Cleverly savages Philip Hammond's reasons for leaving Tory party as 'wrong'”, in The Express:

Following Theresa May’s departure, Tory party candidates running for prime minister appeared to agree that an investigation into the problem was needed, only to backtrack and give the nod instead to an investigation into all types of “prejudice and discrimination, including antisemitism.”

2019 November 18, Mobashra Tazamal, “I've been researching Islamophobia for years – don’t let anyone tell you there isn’t an epidemic within the Tory party”, in The Independent:

British Conservative Party
w:Conservative Party (UK)

(UK politics) Synonym of the British Conservative Party.

When Harper became the leader of the CPC in 2004, the organization had only just come into existence, through a merger between an establishment Tory party and a populist upstart.

2019 October 17, Simon Lewsen, “The Man Who Could Beat Justin Trudeau”, in The Atlantic:

(Canadian politics) The Conservative Party of Canada or any of that party's predecessors, or provincial variants.


proxy voting

(politics) A form of voting where a member of the electorate may delegate their decision making power to a representative, to enable a vote in the member's absence


proxy vote

(politics) a vote cast by the process of proxy voting


USCC

(US, military) Initialism of United States Corps of Cadets.


United Kingdom Independence Party

UK Independence Party
UK Independence Party#English

(UK politics) Alternative form of UK Independence Party.


Article 50

Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty sets out how an EU country might voluntarily leave the union. The wording is vague, almost as if the drafters thought it unlikely it would ever come into play.

2016 June 25, Jennifer Rankin, Julian Borger, Mark Rice-Oxley, “What is article 50 and why is it so central to the Brexit debate?”, in The Guardian:

The Scottish cross-bench peer who wrote Article 50 - the procedure by which the UK would leave the EU - believed it was "not irrevocable". In a BBC interview, Lord Kerr of Kinlochard said the UK could choose to stay in the EU even after exit negotiations had begun.

2016 November 3, Glenn Campbell, “Article 50 author Lord Kerr says Brexit not inevitable”, in BBC News:

Today, therefore, I am writing to give effect to the democratic decision of the people of the United Kingdom. I hereby notify the European Council in accordance with Article 50 (2) of the Treaty on European Union of the United Kingdom’s intention to withdraw from the European Union.

2017 March 29, Theresa May, Theresa May’s Letter Invoking Article 50:

If the Liberal Democrats were to secure a majority in December, they would revoke Article 50, cancelling Brexit.

2019 November 24, Stephen Wynn-Davies, “Hastings and Rye candidates outline their stances on Brexit”, in The Hastings Observer:

(EU politics) Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon which holds the EU's exit clause, allowing and setting out rules for countries leaving the European Union.


divorce bill

In part, this is because it is impossible to know what the UK’s divorce bill will be until the EU knows what the relationship looks likes after 2019: if the UK seeks to stay as a paying member within some programmes, for example, that would reduce the bill.

2017 June 20, Daniel Boffey, “Brexit divorce bill: what is it and how does it affect talks?”, in The Guardian:

Theresa May has told MPs the UK could withhold payment of its £39bn Brexit "divorce bill" if a deal is not reached with Brussels.

2018 September 13, Alec McGuinness, “Theresa May says UK might not pay Brexit 'divorce bill' in 'no-deal' scenario”, in Sky News:

The Brexit party revealed plans today to slash the foreign aid budget and withhold the £39billion so-called 'divorce bill' from the EU if it takes power.

2019 November 1, David Wilcock, “Cut the foreign aid budget and don't give Brussels a penny of the £39billion 'divorce bill' - the Brexit Party reveals its general election manifesto”, in The Daily Mail:

The UK's Brexit divorce bill could soar to £42.5 billion after the Treasury increased its estimate of the payments owed to the European Union by more than £5 billion.

2022 July 21, Sam Blewett, “Brexit Divorce Bill Could Soar to £42.5 Billion as Treasury Boosts Estimate”, in Bloomberg:

(UK politics) The payment to be given to the EU on the UK's exit of the European Union, estimated at around £39bn.


post-Brexit

In a step that may stoke concerns in Britain that Brexit could hasten the fragmentation of the UK, diplomats are planning to ask leaders of the EU’s 27 post-Brexit member countries to endorse the idea in a summit on Saturday.

2017 April 28, Alex Barker, Arthur Beesley, Vincent Boland, “EU prepares for post-Brexit membership for united Ireland”, in The Financial Times:

Senior EU figures have attacked Theresa May’s post-Brexit immigration plan with the president of the European commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, signalling that he expects a row with the British prime minister at an upcoming “moment of truth” summit.

2018 October 2, Daniel Boffey, “EU anger over May's post-Brexit immigration plan”, in The Guardian:

Tens of thousands of low-skilled migrants could come to the UK to work for up to a year under proposed new post-Brexit immigration rules. The measure, which would last until 2025, is intended to protect parts of the economy reliant on overseas labour.

2018 December 19, “Immigration: White Paper sets out post-Brexit rules for migrants”, in the BBC:

Theresa May's government consistently rejected proposals and amendments to the 2018 Withdrawal Act to maintain current rights and protections post-Brexit. She appeared content to see the back of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, a huge loss which would mean less power to protect rights for women, and also to do away with the 2006 and 2010 Equalities Acts.

2019 November 25, Mary Honeyball, “Boris Johnson's Brexit day would be a dark day for women”, in The New European, archived from the original on 2019-11-27:

Member states, MEPs and the new EU commission are all gearing up to launch a discussion on the future of post-Brexit Europe early next year.

2019 November 26, Eszter Zalan, “EU gears up for post-Brexit renovation”, in The EU Observer:

‘Choose London’: Sadiq Khan steps up efforts to lure EU citizens post-Brexit [title]

2023 October 6, Heather Stewart, “‘Choose London’: Sadiq Khan steps up efforts to lure EU citizens post-Brexit”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

Under the post-Brexit trade agreement with the U.K., 45 percent of the components in cars entering the EU must be made in either the U.K. or the EU, or face a tariff of 10 percent.

2025 January 28, Jordyn Dahl and Nicolas Barré, “Car industry wants EU to clone US local content rules”, in Politico.eu:

(European politics) Referring to the time after the UK leaves the EU.


hot zone

A hot zone was established quickly. Unfortunately, these efforts were compromised by a few MPD officers on the scene who did not understand the serious nature of the potential chemical/biological threat and treated the incident more as a bomb scare. These officers initially crossed in and out of the hot zone, and could have contaminated themselves and other personnel had this been a real incident.

1997, U S Fire Administration, FEMA, Fire Department Response to Biological Threat at B'nai B'rith Headquarters, page 6:

Medical monitoring is an essential aspect to conducting operations in the hot zone.

2004, Stanley E. Toy, Hot Zone Log: Personal HazMat Record, page 22:

Subsequently, it became evident that Iitate was a hot zone with very high levels of radiation contamination and all of its residents and evacuees had to be evacuated.

2012, Jeff Kingston, Contemporary Japan, page 210:

(firefighting) An area to which access is restricted because it is contaminated with radiation or a chemical or biological biohazard.


New Dealer

FDR and the New Dealers unleashed the power of the central state in ways rarely done during peacetime.

2022, Gary Gerstle, chapter 1, in The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order […] , New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, Part I. The New Deal Order, 1930–1980:

(US politics, historical) A proponent of the New Deal.


GFBD

(military slang) Initialism of God forgives, brothers don't.


Chinese ace

Flat-spin pilots are stupid or careless flyers, while Huns or Chinese aces are reckless fellows who have crashed […]

1933, Robert Earle Galbraith, These Our Moderns:

When I reported this to Burwell by telephone, he called me a Chinese ace — in those days Chinese aces were pilots who cracked up their own airplanes […]

1983, John Thorn, David Reuther, The Armchair Aviator, page 101:

(military, slang, dated) An inept airplane pilot.


APNI

Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland#English

(UK politics) Abbreviation of Alliance Party of Northern Ireland.


zip gun

As pertaining to my idea of zip guns, we didn't use the old type of zip gun any more because they were too dangerous. That was just a pipe and a piece of wood and nail and rubber band.

1968, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Government Operations. Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Riots, Civil and Criminal Disorders:

The simplest zip gun seen by the author was a metal tube in which a .22 Magnum cartridge was inserted. It was fired by striking the protruding base of the cartridge with a hammer.

1998, Vincent J.M. DiMaio, Gunshot Wounds, page 282:

During the interview, Flaco whips out a zip gun he's hidden beneath his testicles during the pat-down search prior to transfer to GID, and presents it to Detective Rydell.

. “Oh, so we got annuduh tough guy here,” he said, pulling out a gun from his leather jacket. It looked like a real gun, but who knew, maybe it was zip gun.

2012, Arnold Silveri, Turning the Corner on Life, page 59:

(firearms) A crude homemade weapon that fires a projectile.


Trumpublican

That would be a Trumpublican then.

2016 August 27, trotsky, “CNN: What does Obama get for paying $1.3 billion ransom to Iranians? Harrassment^([sic]) by their navy. Cluck, cluck, cluck”, in rec.arts.tv (Usenet):

That is the most ridiculous thing any trumpublican could say.

2018 August 28, Bob F, “Fox News analyst criticizes Trump over condolences tweet that avoided praising McCain”, in alt.home.repair (Usenet):

That is a non responsive post Bob. How many Trumpublicans run big cities up in the mobbed up union states?

2018 August 30, <gfre...@aol.com>, “Survey: 1-in-3 Gov Workers Could Leave Union”, in alt.home.repair (Usenet):

(US, politics, slang) A Republican who supports Donald Trump.


buttplate

(firearms) The plate affixed to the rear end of a rifle stock.


MRC

The Bottom-Up Review is based on the premise that two near simultaneous Major Regional Conflicts (MRCs) can be successfully executed by our significantly downsized force structure.

1996, United States. Congress. House. Committee on Appropriations. Subcommittee on National Security, Department of Defense Appropriations for 1996: Quality of life, senior enlisted advisors, U.S. Government Printing Office, page 417

major regional conflict
major regional conflict#English

(military) Initialism of major regional conflict.


Old Left

(politics) The pre-1960s left wing in the Western world, typically having a vanguardist approach to social justice and focusing mainly on labor unionization and questions of social class.


OTS

The chancellor has asked the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) to report on how CGT rates compare with other taxes, and how the present rules may distort behaviour. […] The OTS is likely to consider a lot of tinkering around the edges.

2020 July 15, Patrick Collinson, “Capital gains tax review: your questions answered”, in The Guardian:

Office of Tax Simplification
w:Office of Tax Simplification

(UK, taxation) Initialism of Office of Tax Simplification.


outseg

en-verb

outseg (third-person singular simple present outsegs, present participle outsegging, simple past and past participle outsegged)

outsegs (present singular third-person)
outsegging (participle present)
outsegged (participle past)
outsegged (past)

(transitive, informal, US, politics) To outsegregate.


Chinese landing

en-noun

Chinese landing (plural Chinese landings)

From the phrase "one wing low", thought to sound like a Chinese name. Compare Chinese ace.

Undershootings, overshootings, skewshootings and Chinese landings (with one wing low) were a constant worry to Station Commanders, and inability, by reason of shot and shell, to lower or lock landing wheels took a heavy toll.

1971, Alastair Revie, The Lost Command, page 69:

(military, slang) The landing of an aircraft with one wing lower than the other.


sea skimming

(military) The practice of a missile or aircraft flying as low as possible, minimizing the range at which it can be detected by a target at sea.


sea skimmer

(military) A missile or aircraft that engages in sea skimming.


containment line

containment line (plural containment lines)

(firefighting) A linear area which has been cleared of inflammable material in order to prevent a fire from spreading across it.


lobby fodder

Alluding to the division of the assembly, in which MPs walk through one of the two division lobbies on either side of the House in order to vote for or against.

(UK, politics, colloquial, derogatory) Members of Parliament who vote according to the party line but otherwise contribute little or nothing.


toss bombing

(military) A method of bombing where the attacking aircraft pulls upward when releasing its bomb load, giving the bomb additional time of flight by starting its ballistic path with an upward vector.


macronation

macronations (plural)
macro-nation (alternative)

Portuguese: macronação

From macro- (“large”) + nation (“a country; a sovereign state”).
The micronational sense was likely formed as an antonym of micronation, which was derived from micro- (“small”) + nation (“country”). First attested on 26 November 1996 (see quotations).

prefix

This brings us, finally, to those countries that we think can safely be labeled as democracies today, keeping in mind the widely accepted two key requirements […] Based on the foregoing discussion, and (to repeat) excluding the microstates, we would offer the following honor roll of what, for want of a better term, we call the democratic "macronations" […]

1997, Albert Somit, Steven A. Peterson, Darwinism, Dominance, and Democracy: The Biological Bases of Authoritarianism, Praeger, →ISBN, page 42:

Excluding microstates with a population of less than one million people there are 29 democratic macronations.

2007, David J. C. Shearman, Joseph Wayne Smith, The Climate Change Challenge and the Failure of Democracy, Bloomsbury Academic, →ISBN, page 99:

It led to the birth of a new nation, the only one of its kind in Africa as a product of a merger of two independent states. The macronation was Tanzania. Without the Zanzibar revolution, the two countries of Tanganyika and Zanzibar would not have united when they did, if at all.

2014, Godfrey Mwakikagile, Africa in The Sixties, New Africa Press, →ISBN, page 202:

(geopolitics, rare) A large country; a sovereign state of considerable size, population or both.


milsurp

en-noun

milsurp (usually uncountable, plural milsurps)

This catalog has milsurp rifles and ammunition on sale.

I'll be in the milsurp section of the store, looking for tents and camping gear.

(US, military, slang, often attributive) Obsolete, unneeded, or retired military equipment, often rifles, sold to individuals or businesses.


nap-of-the-earth

(military) Denoting a very low-altitude flight course used by military aircraft to avoid enemy detection and attack in a high-threat environment.


NOE

(military) Initialism of nap-of-the-earth.


dependapotamus

Blend of dependent + hippopotamus or similar, the second element being a reference to stereotypical obesity (and the popular misconception that hippos are largely made of fat).

(US, military, slang, derogatory) A servicemember's partner (especially a SAHM) who behaves in a parasitic manner, especially by taking advantage of their partner's status to demand beneficial treatment.


protected democracy

protected democracy (plural protected democracies)

Pinochet, the Times reported, said he is “a lover of liberty, a right to which all men are born.” But he had no confidence “in orthodox democracy. It was too easy to infiltrate and destroy.” (He knew of what he spoke.) So he favored “a protected democracy” with a strong political role for the military. “He has managed to say in power,” the Times reported, “through what even his opponents recognize in political acumen…” (not terror, torture, and death squads.)

1986, Michael Parenti, chapter 10, in Inventing Reality: The Politics of the Mass Media, New York: St. Martin’s Press, Inc., →ISBN, page 181:

(euphemistic, politics) An antisocialist government that allows suffrage but places sovereignty in the army.