mother wound
n.— «In many marriages, the wife is mother not only to any children, but also to the husband, who sometimes actually calls her “mummy”, which always sounds creepy. Theories abound, particularly in California, as to why this should be. One theory—popular in tree-hugging circles—is because of something called the “mother wound”, defined as the scar left on men from unresolved issues they have with their mothers, leftovers that they duly warm over when they marry, to serve up again to the lucky lady.» —“Married to Mummy” by Rachel Johnson TimesOnline (United Kingdom) May 6, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
If someone urges you to spill the tea, they probably don’t want you tipping over a hot beverage. Originally, the tea here was the letter T, as in “truth.” To spill the T means to “pass along truthful information.” Plus...
When you had sleepovers as a child, what did you call the makeshift beds you made on the floor? In some places, you call those bedclothes and blankets a pallet. This word comes from an old term for “straw.” And: What’s the story...