DUSTWUN
n.— «Valence had little information, he told the Schrages, except that their son had been on a night mission, crossing the Euphrates River near the city of Ramadi, and now he and another Marine with him were listed as “Duty status, whereabouts unknown.” The military acronym is DUSTWUN, pronounced “dust one.”» —“Death notification: A dreaded duty” by Roger Roy Kansas City Star Mar. 20, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time when people disagreed over the best word to use when answering the phone. Alexander Graham Bell suggested answering with ahoy! but Thomas Edison was partial to hello! A fascinating new book about...
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...