al mudbakh
n.— «The real action was taking place in al mudbakh—the kitchen—a euphemism for the elite group of perhaps 12 party leaders and aides who huddled behind doors that were closed even to the members of the committee drafting the constitution.» —“Awaiting Rebirth of a Nation, Officials Pace” by Ashraf Khalil in Baghdad, Iraq Los Angeles Times Aug. 23, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Book recommendations, including a collection of short stories inspired by dictionaries, and a techno-thriller for teens. Or, how about novels with an upbeat message? Publishers call this genre up lit. Plus, a clergyman ponders an arresting phrase in...
How colors got their names, and a strange way to write. The terms blue and orange arrived in English via French, so why didn’t we also adapt the French for black and white? • Not every example of writing goes in one direction across the page...