sterile cockpit
n.— «Her ears were stuffed up, and at one point in the flight to Buffalo she asked if the plane could descend early so she would be more comfortable. With the plane flying well under 10,000 feet, a time when the crew was supposed to maintain a “sterile cockpit” with no non-pertinent conversation, Captain Renslow asked, “How’s the ears?”» —“Pilots Chatted in Moments Before Buffalo Crash” by Matthew L. Wald New York Times May 12, 2009. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Sponsored in part by:
Brollies and Bumbershoots 04/16/2018: If you think they refer to umbrellas as bumbershoots in the UK, think again. The word bumbershoot actually originated in the United States! In Britain,... [more]
Cool Your Soup 04/09/2018: According to Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe, it's important to master the basics of writing, but there comes a time when you have to strike out... [more]
Put on the Dog 04/02/2018: Why isn't "you're welcome" the default response to "thank you" for everyone? Plus lies that kids tell, Philadelphia lawyer, cowbelly, skutch, mind-bottling vs. mind-boggling, tsundoku,... [more]
Fighting Artichokes 03/25/2018: What's in a mascot name? Maybe you're a fan of the Banana Slugs, or you cheer for the Winged Beavers. Perhaps your loyalty lies with... [more]
Gee and Haw 03/12/2018: The highly specialized vocabulary of people who work outdoors, communicating with sled dogs, a word from the sport of rock-climbing, church key, browse line, smeuse,... [more]
You must log in to post a comment.