page 75 n.— «In a typical Hollywood screenplay, there comes a moment just before the third act when the protagonist is faced with certain defeat. It is the part of the film in which the bad guys gain crucial ground after a series of...
obiticide n.— «Speaking of which, the Star did in fact kill a couple of well-known people by mistake, a practice known as “obiticide,” or death by media. A Nov. 23 item about actors from the 1960s’ TV series Hogan’s Heroes...
trunk monkey n.—Gloss: a rear gunner in an armed vehicle, caravan, or convoy. Note: Used among military personnel and contractors in Iraq. It’s possible that the term derives from this advertisement from Suburban Auto Group, and others...
Fellow wordivas and wordudes, This week on A Way with Words we start a brand-new season! To celebrate, we noodled with anagrams, including the one in the title of this episode. Listen here. Also on the show: A New York City schoolteacher asks...
glam raider n.— «Designer handbags have been stolen to order in a recent series of smash-and-grab store raids in the capital.…Scotland Yard has set up a special detective squad to target the gangs, but it appears the “glam...
skittles room n.—Gloss: at the venue of a chess tournament, an area or room where players can play informally, either for fun or to hustle each other for money. Note: A commenter remarks that he’s known this term for 40 years, which...