beaching
n.— «Dofasco spokesperson Andrew Sloan said the incident in question occurred when excess molten iron was poured into shallow pits by the plant—a process known as “beaching.” The pits had snow in them and the reaction caused a “sizeable, visible emission.” Mr. Sloan said Dofasco is working to resolve beaching problems, which he attributed to “an unbelievably humid winter with the extra snow.”» —“Ministry eyes charges over Dofasco flare-up” by Richard Leitner Stoney Creek News (Dundas, Ontario, Canada) Mar. 21, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Brian in San Antonio, Texas, wonders about the origin of the pinkingin the term pinking shears. Such shears cut an even, zigzag pattern that keeps cloth from fraying at the edges. Pinking likely comes from French piquer, meaning to...
So you’ve long dreamed of writing fiction, but don’t know where to begin? There are lots of ways to get started — creative writing classes, local writing groups, and books with prompts to get you going. The key is to get started, and...