Speedog's definitions

Mocha Dick

Noun: an albino male sperm whale known to inhabit the Pacific Ocean near Mocha Island in the early 19th century, credited with sinking several whaling ships which were in pursuit of members of his pod. Considered the inspiration for Herman Melville's novel "Moby-Dick, or The Whale", published in 1851.

As the harpoon boats approached, Mocha Dick played dead, evidently to lure them in closer, until he could counter-attack.

by speedog June 13, 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

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

POD

Acronym: Passed Out Drunk

After the party nobody could locate Chuck, but it turned out he was POD in the back of Wendy's van.

by speedog July 7, 2010

liquidate

Verb (American slang): to kill another human being.

After the protection money was not delivered, Capone ordered Frank Nitti to liquidate the malefactor.

by speedog June 23, 2010

air-heel

Verb (high fashion slang): To walk barefoot on the ball of one's feet (or foot) with the heel elevated, as though one is wearing heeled shoes, most usually in the event that one or both shoes are lost during a fashion show; the object being to maintain balance and poise as best possible.

'When Karolina Kurkova lost her shoe during the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, she had to air-heel it down the runway and back"

by Speedog December 1, 2009

Time barrier

Noun: the theoretical limit of real-time velocity in the known universe, at which point positive time halts, and the mass of any object traveling at that speed become infinite and incapable of any increase in velocity.

"In 1994, Dr. Miguel Alcubierre formulated a hypothetical propulsion system that could, in theory, break the time barrier."

by speedog June 25, 2010