Speedog's definitions

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

Climb Mount Nitaka

Phrase (WW II Japanese military): code phrase authorizing the activation of "Operation Z", the Japanese attack on U.S. naval forces based at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Once Emperor Hirohito had given his assent to Operation Z, the code phrase "Climb Mount Nitaka" was transmitted to Admiral Yamamoto.

by speedog July 7, 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

causality

Noun (physics terminology): the natural sequential relation between any cause and its subsequent effect in the known universe, in which any effect is invariably preceded by the cause of that effect, and never the reverse.

"Newton's Third Law of Motion is essentially a confirmation of the principle of causality."

by speedog April 30, 2010

Traveller

Name: the equestrian mount of Confederate General Robert E. Lee during his service as commander of The Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War (a.k.a. The War Between the States).

During the Battle of Gettysburg, Traveller maintained his composure regardless of the bullets that were flying around himself and General Lee.

by speedog June 16, 2010

unintentionally hilarious

Adjective: description of any expression, statement or definition which, although originally intended in earnest, results adversely in humorous disdain.

"Wendy's attempt to explain how her underwear ended up in the frat house rec room was unintentionally hilarious."

by speedog April 28, 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