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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golden sombrero n. Price’s fifth and final goal of the night came with 1:33 to play in the match. When a player scores four goals it is often called the “golden sombrero,” but Price wasn’t sure about what to call her five goals. Her coach knew what to call it, however. (Apr. 9, 2009) [full citation…]

Jack and Jill bathroom n. Bathrooms may also have a lot of doors, as they were often placed between two bedrooms (sometimes known as a Jack-and-Jill bathroom). (Apr. 9, 2009) [full citation…]

hunting n. Half of them complained, however, about reception problems like “hunting,” where the radio switches back and forth between the HD and regular versions of a channel. (Apr. 9, 2009) [full citation…]

leggy adj. When plants did come up, they were undeniably “leggy,” meaning their central stalks were tall and spindly before their first leaves. Seedlings won’t necessarily die from being leggy, but they don’t grow up to be as healthy or strong as more solid plants. (Apr. 9, 2009) [full citation…]

retrospectoscope n. The view through scopes—colonoscopes, arthroscopes and laparoscopes, to name a few—routinely aids physicians in narrowing diagnoses and arriving at a plan of care. But none is as illuminating as the one doctors refer to as the “retrospectoscope,” the scope of hindsight. The retrospectoscope brings startling clarity to the most mysterious disease processes: difficult decisions become brilliant choices, minor missteps turn into devastating errors, and the best of intentions can transform into deep regret and persistent what-if’s. (Apr. 8, 2009) [full citation…]

mortal lock n. It is a sure bet—a mortal lock as they say in the business— that if Robespierre was around today, we would be standing knee-deep in decapitations. (Apr. 7, 2009) [full citation…]

commod bod n. She also blamed the federal commodity program for low-income people that many American Indian families receive. The offerings include lots of pastas, rice and other high-carbohydrate foods that contribute to what Burger said is often called a “commod bod.” “When that’s the predominant dietary base in a household without access to fresh fruits and vegetables, that really creates a better chance of a person becoming obese,” she said. (Apr. 7, 2009) [full citation…]

locked up adj. Having survived the “Aladdin” test, Pvt. Kyle Brower, 18 years old and just a few months removed from civilian life, was able to stand still and stare into the middle distance during his first dignified transfer last week. He was able to carry the coffin while remaining, as the soldiers call it, “locked up”—both physically and emotionally. If his thoughts wandered to the soldier inside, how he or she died, he was able to snap back. (Apr. 7, 2009) [full citation…]

gated adj. The new study suggests that itch, like pain, may be a “gated” system in which signals from other nerve cells can interfere with or moderate the sensation. Scratching the skin near, but not directly on, the spot that itches often provides relief, just as rubbing an aching limb can reduce pain. (Apr. 6, 2009) [full citation…]

cutty adj. In striking that balance between spontaneity and propulsion, most editors strive to leave no fingerprints, content to create an emotional experience for the audience that’s at once seamless and immersive. Editors have a word for movies that are edited in a way meant to draw attention to the editing itself : “cutty.” As in, “Oh man, was “Quantum of Solace” way too cutty or what?!” (Apr. 6, 2009) [full citation…]

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