Athene Airheart's definitions

land grab

What the US Government and other countries did to tribal peoples already living on the American continent.

Any appropriation of real estate that wasn't originally yours.

Joe used to have only five acres of property, but he made a huge land grab and now he has fifty.

by Athene Airheart March 20, 2004

between the sheets

In bed.

This phrase is also part of a game where you take any common sentence or title and add "between the sheets." A popular juvenile activity.

The possibilities are endless.

"Romeo and Juliet... between the sheets!"

"The Passion of Christ... between the sheets!"

"The Return of the King... between the sheets!"

by Athene Airheart March 27, 2004

aileron

The control surfaces found on the outboard sections of an airplane's wing. They move up and down and control the roll of the airplane, turning it.

Aileron is from the French for "Little wing."

Before every flight, I check the ailerons to make sure they are working properly.

by Athene Airheart May 15, 2004

ramp rat

Someone who hangs around the airport a lot. Generally, more ramp rats will be found in smaller, friendlier airports, where there are flight schools and such to mooch coffee off of.

The ramp is the large concrete area where planes are parked. Contrary to it's name, ramps are usually fairly flat.

See airport bum.

I made a good landing, even the ramp rats behind the fence thought so when they saw it.

by Athene Airheart May 1, 2004

decimate

A frequently misused word.

Decimate literally means to reduce something by a tenth, but many people use it instead to mean "totally destroy." The word "obliterate" would be a better choice than "decimate."

Decimate comes from the root "deci-" which can be found in other words involving ten, "decimal" for example.

When I decimated the cookies I ate ten out of the hundred-cookie batch.

Joe decimated the rock collection by getting rid of one tenth of the rocks.

by Athene Airheart March 24, 2004

groundhog

Similar to groundling but slightly ruder. Someone who can't fly.

I'd like to have started flight school at sixteen but my dad is too much of a groundhog.

by Athene Airheart May 13, 2005

scrub

This is also 1930's slang for a poor college student.

Matthew is a real scrub. I don't think he ever leaves the campus, and he has a hard time getting a job- but he's a good guy.

by Athene Airheart May 1, 2004