Speedog's definitions

striper

Noun: nickname for a striped bass (Morone saxatilis), a game fish which frequents the Eastern shore regions of the United States and Canada.

Chuck almost lost the striper on his surf line, but nearby fishermen helped him land it.

by speedog June 13, 2010

harpago

Noun (ancient Roman naval terminology): a catapult-launched grappling hook, invented in the 1st century BCE by Marcus Agrippa, and successfully employed by himself (as commander of Roman naval forces) during the Battle of Actium, against the forces of Egyptian Queen Cleopatra VII, and her ally, the Roman triumvir Marcus Antonius (a.k.a. Mark Anthony).

"When Antony's larger Egyptian ships had penetrated the Roman line, Agrippa's smaller galleys successfully reeled them in for close marine combat by using the harpago."

by speedog June 10, 2010

Alberto VO5

Noun: a brand of hair care products trademarked and patented in 1955 by The Alberto Company (now Alberto-Culver), and famously employed by such celebrities as Lucille Ball and Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis.

In order to maintain her classic coiffure, the First Lady made extensive use of Alberto VO5.

by speedog May 28, 2010

Baby

Person: nickname of American film actress Lauren Bacall, given by her (then) boyfriend, actor Humphrey Bogart, in recognition of her youth in relation to his own age.

Bogart once famously quipped "Whatever Baby wants, Baby gets."

by speedog May 27, 2010

contact

Aviation term: a verbal queue expressed by the pilot of a propeller-driven aircraft lacking a starter to a mechanic positioned forward of the engine, indicating that the pilot has connected the main electrical circuit of the aircraft via a switch in the cockpit, and that the mechanic should manually rotate the propeller in order to start the engine.

"When Lt. Rickenbacker engaged the main switch of his S.P.A.D. fighter, he shouted 'Contact!' to his mechanic to crank the propeller."

by speedog May 23, 2010

Adam 12

A television series produced by Jack Webb Productions, debuting on September 21, 1968 on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) television network, set in the Los Angeles, CA metropolitan area, featuring actors Martin Milner as LAPD Officer Peter Malloy, and Kent McCord as his partner, LAPD Officer James Reed. Series terminated in 1975.

"We're gonna watch Adam 12 tonight on TV. Wanna come over and watch it with us?"

by speedog May 3, 2010

self destruct

Verb: to voluntarily destroy oneself, and/or any property under ones control, in order to deny any advantage to ones enemy(ies).

"As the Soviet Army surrounded the Stalingrad bunker, Hitler gave the order to Field Marshall von Paulus to self destruct, which he disobeyed."

by speedog May 3, 2010