Politics Slang, Jargon, and New Words from Double-Tongued Dictionary

Citations in the Category Politics

Politics, courts, elections, voting, legislation, legislatures, campaigns, activism, partisanship, etc. You can also see entries assigned to this category.

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Washington Monument n. In budgeting parlance, a “Washington Monument” is a popular program or facility singled out for budget cuts precisely because of its popularity. The term seems to have its origins in the U.S. Park Service official who, testifying before Congress in 1971, said the only way he could cut the budget would be to close the landmark to tourists. [English Politics] [full cite] (Nov. 21, 2006)

Washington Monument ploy n. Cynics suggest the proposed park closings are merely a bargaining tactic, a way to gain leverage in getting the budget passed. There’s even a name for it in political circles: the “Washington Monument ploy.” Politicians announce highly unpopular cuts, and then relent in exchange for other concessions. [English Government Politics] [full cite] (Apr. 14, 2008)

Washminster n. The term “Washminster,” coined in 1980 to suggest Australia is somehow a hybrid of the Westminster and Washington systems, misses the point. Australia started off as a child of mixed parentage, and like all children grew up and developed its own personality, developing a distinctively Australian approach to government that differs from that of either parent. Still, we maintain close ties with the US, and there are continuing influences from their system on our own public service. [English Australia Politics] [full cite] (Jul. 6, 2006)

water boarding n. There’s what I call the WaterHood, also known as “water boarding’ or the “watercure,” where interrogators shove a prisoner’s head in abarrel of water and make him think he’s drowning. Actually, heis drowning; they just save him from death at the lastsecond (if all goes well). [English United States Crime & Prisons Military Politics Jargon] [full cite] (Jun. 3, 2004)

waterfall n. Lawmakers use the term “waterfall” to describe surplus revenue. Hube worried there might be no water in this year’s waterfall. [English Money & Finance Politics] [full cite] (Feb. 19, 2007)

watermelon n. We have one for the greens—“watermelons” (green on the outside, red on the inside, i.e. closet commies). [English Environment Politics Slang] [full cite] (Apr. 29, 2004)

watermelon n. The keynote speaker, William H. Holms, presented a talk entitled, “Wimps, Weirdos and Watermelons,” in which he stated environmentalists were just a bunch of unemployed welfare-leeching Communists. He suggested that the timber industry should join forces with the farming and mining (oil) industries and mount a “hate campaign” against the environmental community, which he portrayed as “green on the outside and red on the inside.” [English Environment Politics Slang] [full cite] (Apr. 30, 2004)

watermelon n. Major Robert D’Aubuisson, leader of the ultra right Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA), likes to compare the Christian Democrats to a watermelon. “Green (the Christian Democrats’ official color) on the outside,” he says, “and red on the inside.” [English Environment Politics Slang] [full cite] (Apr. 30, 2004)

weadle v. Blow changed his name, and Douglas Wead didn’t, but soon he may want to, if current reactions keep up. To “weadle” may soon enter the lexicon as meaning betraying an unknowing party by recording words meant for a private discussion and unleashing them in the midst of complex public moments in the process of flogging one’s book. [English Politics] [full cite] (Feb. 26, 2005)

wendy v. Misogyny, anti-intellectualism, vindictive political opponents, an out-of-control press—the resignation of Wendy Alexander as leader of the Labour party at Holyrood offers something to everyone with a thesis about the loss of public respect for the UK political process. First, misogyny. In recent years the Scottish political classes have introduced a new verb to the English language—the idea of being “wendied”—a term invented to describe the way that Alexander apparently browbeat her civil servants, assistants and anyone else who didn’t match her exacting demands. A wendying was often said to be carried out in a shrill manner—another word that cropped up in descriptions of her style. [English Scotland Politics New or Nonce] [full cite] (Jun. 30, 2008)

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