bleed the beast
v. phr.— «In the polygamous community of Colorado City, a practice known as “bleeding the beast” is allegedly taking place. Activist for victims of Polygamy, Flora Jessop, who alerted authorities to the polygamist prophet Warren Jeffs’ move to Texas, says city officials are taking in large sums of federal money and then using that money to fund things that the government never intended to fund.» —“Jessop: Colorado City squandering federal funds” by Mike Watkiss KTVK-TV (Phoenix, Ariz.) Feb. 10, 2006. (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...
Allyn from North Dallas, Texas, who hosts a YouTube show about knitting called Sal & Al: The Woolslayers, emails the show to share some favorite slang used by knitters. LYS stands for one’s Local Yarn Shop, as opposed to a big-box store...