Join two wayward radio hosts on A Way With Words, the call-in radio show about writing, speaking, slang, old sayings, and more.
Catchword for “gorilla dust”
Catchword: gorilla dust
Part of Speechn.
The part of speech reflects that used in the full entry, and not necessarily the part of speech as it is used in the quotation below.
Quotation: When two male gorillas confront each other, they’re too canny most of the time to actually fight, so they resort to the tried-and-true political tactic of intimidation. Both scurry about in a frenzy, grimacing menacingly, beating their chests and tossing clouds of dirt into the air. It’s a serious encounter, full of powerful and primitive energies, a test of testosterone. Soon one becomes convinced that the other could win the threatened physical engagement, and retreats. It’s called gorilla dust, and nations stir it up all the time.
Article or Document Title:
“Is India’s Nuclear Threat Mere Gorilla Dust?” (URL)
Article, Document, Publication, Web Site:
Hinduism Today
Publishing Location:
Kapaa, Hawaii
Date of Publication:
Aug., 1998
This cite belongs to a full entry for gorilla dust.

Leave a comment, which must be approved by the moderator before it will appear. Courtesy matters!

Keep in mind that we're interested in terms that are not well-covered in mainstream dictionaries, or not covered at all. A mass of unexamined Google hits counts for nothing, but an early use of the term you've found in a book or periodical is very useful. A term does not have to be new to be recorded here, it merely needs to be worthy of more attention.
Name (mandatory):

Email (mandatory):

Location (optional):

Your Web Site (optional):

Remember my personal information

Notify me, by email, of follow-up comments.

Recent Catchwords
mill and fill n. (7/3)
snake run n. (7/2)
tranny n. (7/1)
secular adj. (6/30)
commuter trip n. (6/30)
wendy v. (6/30)
double-dekker n. (6/30)
gas-sipper n. (6/29)
nuke the fridge v. phr. (6/29)
mannyhose n. (6/29)
run one’s pockets v. phr. (6/29)
gay-lister n. (6/29)
cross-shopping n. (6/29)
weird stacking n. (6/29)
block busting n. (6/27)
beek n. (6/27)
sweatbox n. (6/26)
bump-out n. (6/26)
 More catchwords...
New Comments
Debra Ellick commented on hurricane amnesia (7/3)
tina commented on tranny (7/3)
Grant Barrett commented on tranny (7/3)
Tina commented on tranny (7/2)
Ben Zimmer commented on secular (7/1)
Alice Macpherson commented on sad (7/1)
Kerri-ann commented on candy flipping (7/1)
Rich Overton commented on smitty (6/30)
Prozacville.co.uk commented on Ja well no fine (6/30)
jim commented on robotripping (6/30)
JIm commented on robotripping (6/29)
Charles Miller commented on robotripping (6/29)
JIM commented on robotripping (6/28)
Ben Zimmer commented on block busting (6/28)
Larisa Gall commented on pencil plane (6/26)
Subscribe to the RSS feed.Subscribe to the mailing list.Browse the archive.Add to Technorati Favorites. © 1999-2008 by Grant Barrett, Double-Tongued Dictionary, New York City.