scarlet letter
n.— «The court became the first in Ohio to immobilize the vehicles of repeat OMVI offenders. Adkins also began ordering repeat offenders to put yellow license tags on their automobiles as “scarlet letters,” he said.» —“Court of Appeal; Fun-Loving Yet Serious Circleville Judge Makes An Impression” by Jim Massie in Circleville, Ohio Columbus Dispatch (Ohio) Sept. 2, 1993. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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...
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...