Double-Tongued Dictionary Recent Citations

Citation Queue These are recently added citations for catchwords that have not yet been researched or incorporated into a full dictionary entry. There is also a date-sorted archive which includes all citations, whether used in a full entry or not, as well as the full entries themselves.

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flabby-pack n. It’s hard not to laugh when Will Ferrell, who can be very funny when given something actually funny to do, takes off his shirt to brandish his flabby-pack, a ritual unveiling now apparently written into all his contracts. (Jun. 6, 2009) [full citation…]

spiritwear n. Under the policy, which is formally called “spiritwear” rather than uniforms, students are required to wear khaki or navy blue pants or shorts, oxford, button down or polo shirts, and color restricted shoes, socks, belts and shoelaces. (Jun. 5, 2009) [full citation…]

funemployment n. What most people would call unemployment, Van Gorkom embraced as “funemployment.” While millions of Americans struggle to find work as they face foreclosures and bankruptcy, others have found a silver lining in the economic meltdown. These happily jobless tend to be single and in their 20s and 30s. Some were laid off. Some quit voluntarily, lured by generous buyouts. Buoyed by severance, savings, unemployment checks or their parents, the funemployed do not spend their days poring over job listings. They travel on the cheap for weeks. They head back to school or volunteer at the neighborhood soup kitchen. And at least till the bank account dries up, they’re content living for today. (Jun. 5, 2009) [full citation…]

pawsenger n. Your pets will be begging to fly on PetAirways, an animal-friendly airline launching July 14 and serving five cities—Los Angeles, Denver, Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. Among the airline’s amenities, dogs and cats—known as “pawsengers”—won’t have to ride in the cargo hold anymore, but instead get their own secured crate in coach. (Jun. 5, 2009) [full citation…]

fix-it ticket n. Apparently, in most states, having one headlight out is not considered a moving violation (in some states it is legal to only have one headlight working), but referred to as a “fix-it ticket.” Meaning, the police officer gives you a ticket or fine and tells you to get it fixed as soon as possible. Most of the time, you can then head immediately to an auto parts store to purchase a new headlight, and go to a judge or the police station that issued the ticket, and have the whole thing dismissed, barring a small court fee. You can walk away without getting any points on your driver’s license. (Jun. 3, 2009) [full citation…]

pen-robbery n. While people in public offices engage in “pen-robbery,” (another name for embezzlement), the artisans, especially the auto-mechanic unleash tears, sorrows and blood on the ill-fated customers who patronize them. (Jun. 3, 2009) [full citation…]

mowing the lawn n. Maritime patrol planes fly a grid pattern over the search area, guided by GPS. They fly in parallel swaths over the ocean, in a process that pilots refer to as “mowing the lawn.” Flying at an altitude of 600 metres or less, pilots and crew watch for surface debris and fuel slicks. (Jun. 3, 2009) [full citation…]

enhanced chicken n. People shouldn’t be paying chicken prices for saltwater. But some unscrupulous poultry producers add as much as 15 percent saltwater—and then have the gall to label such pumped-up poultry products “natural.” Some in the industry euphemistically call chicken soaked or injected with salt water “enhanced chicken.” Of course this isn’t really about enhancing chicken, it’s about enhancing profits. Someone’s clucking all the way to the bank. (Jun. 3, 2009) [full citation…]

Goverment Motors n. Now, “we the people” are on the hook and are the official owners of over 60% of General Motors. Or as it is called today; “Government Motors.” (Jun. 3, 2009) [full citation…]

fluff n. At a recycling plant in San Pedro and five other similar operations around California, giant shredding machines annually reduce 1.3 million junk cars, refrigerators and other appliances into fist-sized chunks of metal. [...] For years, auto-shredding companies have been hauling tons of these treated leftovers, known in the industry as fluff, to municipal landfills under a state variance granted more than 20 years ago. (Jun. 3, 2009) [full citation…]

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