oil spot strategy n. a tactic in which a political or military organization secures an area to be used as a launch site for campaigns to other areas. Also oil spot theory. Editorial Note: Also known as the ink blot strategy. The French version of oil spot strategy, tache d’huile, was used in Indochina prior to 1895 by Joseph-Simon Gallieni, according to The French Overseas Empire (2000, Praeger Publishers) by Frederick Quinn. The French term was also used in English at least as far back as 1864 in a more general political context as a metaphor for something that spreads. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
We asked for your thoughts about whether cursive writing should be taught in schools — and many of you replied with a resounding “Yes!” You said cursive helps develop fine motor skills, improves mental focus, and lets you read old...
The term sun grin literally means a kind of squinting expression caused by facing bright sunlight. Metaphorically, though, it indicates a fixed or humorless grin. This is part of a complete episode.
Related