Collyer
n.— «A veteran firefighter called the job a “Collyer mansion”—packed and crowded with junk and debris like the old upper Fifth Avenue spread.» —“Burning Down the Squat” by Matthew Fleischer Village Voice Jan. 31, 1995. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
As we’ve previously discussed, firefighters don and dofftheir equipment, terms deriving from do on and do off. They are also said to dout a fire, meaning they “extinguish” it, dout being a similar shortening of do out. This is part...
Book recommendations and the art of apology. Martha and Grant share some good reads, including an opinionated romp through English grammar, a Spanish-language adventure novel, an account of 19th-century dictionary wars, and a gorgeously illustrated...