earn or burn
v. phr.— «Most airlines let you “earn or burn” miles in a variety of ways, such as using a credit card linked to the account or spending money or miles with one of the airline’s retail, restaurant, travel or financial partners.» —“Warnings on frequent-flier miles” by Kathleen Pender San Francisco Chronicle Nov. 18, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Gene calls from the Badlands of South Dakota to ask about ordering a glass of water at a restaurant by asking for a blue dolphin neat. Is that widely used? There are many slang terms used when ordering water, such as windmill cocktail, city coke...
After our conversation about restaurant codes used to ensure efficient service, a chef in Charlotte, North Carolina, shares more examples from his experience in an upscale establishment. This is part of a complete episode.
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