free vote n.— «Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor, leader of the Roman Church in England and Wales, went public to insist that Labour MP’s should be granted what is known as a “free vote,” the process by which party members are allowed to...
greenager n.— «The eco-conscious youngsters, dubbed “Greenagers,” now want to put more pressure on older generations to take a lead in environmental decision-making.» —“‘Greenagers’ Want Climate Change...
violin hickey n.— «Also visible, up close, is the distinct dark red mark on New’s neck that makes some strangers stare or whisper. But don’t blame her husband, principal trombonist John McPherson. He’s great with his lips, but New’s love...
carbon leakage n.— «But bowing to pressure from industry lobbies, the commission announced that it would not allow the ETS to preside over “carbon leakage,” an ugly term meaning the relocation of steelworks and the like from Europe...
omega block n.— «Northern California has been sitting under what meteorologists commonly refer to as an “omega” block—so named because of its distinctive shape—which features troughs of low pressure both to the west and east of a large...
medically homeless adj.— «Safety-net facilities take pressure off of emergency rooms by caring for people who are medically homeless, a term for people who don’t have a family doctor.» —“Clinics for the poor have own...