take a haircut
v. phr.— «When securities are used, the brokerage firm take a “haircut” on their value. This means that, for capital purposes, they are valued at somewhat less than their market prices. How much less is up to the stock exchange.» —“On Wall Street, Some Fail, All Worry” by Terry Robards New York Times Aug. 16, 1970. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Corey in Buffalo, New York, says her family uses the word unta for “the piece of bread you use to sop up the last bite of what you’re eating.” They also use it as a verb, as in I’m going to unta. Her family is half Sephardic...
A hundred years ago, suffragists lobbied to win women the right to vote. Linguistically speaking, though, suffrage isn’t about “suffering.” It’s from a Latin word that involves voting. Plus: military cadences often include...