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vanderpol's definitions

cut my teeth

The legendary German fighter pilot, the Red Baron, cut his teeth when accompanying his father in various hunting trips during his childhood

I cut my teeth on the leadership when I was elected as the president of the classes in middle school
by vanderpol August 2, 2010
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In that vein

Talking/Thinking along the lines. Talking/Thinking about the same or similar topic
In that vein, what do you think about the health reform?
The prime minister was talking about the austerity measures in the recession times. The opposition party also went on in that vein.
by vanderpol August 22, 2010
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scarlet letter

stigma related to the infamous incidents
For example, if you were caught to have a sex deal with a prostitute in China, your passport may be stamped with a seal of "lewd worm". This infamous seal is the "scarlet letter"
He bears the scarlet letter for his frivolous indiscretion in the past
by vanderpol August 1, 2010
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two-car funeral

utter incompetence or error-prone
The botch of the stimulus plan may stoke anti-government anger about bureaucrats and two-car funerals
He fouled up a two-car funeral
They couldn't run a two-car funeral to get the budget passed
by vanderpol August 29, 2010
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double down

to engage in risky behavior, especially when one is already in a dangerous situation.

This figurative usage as appearing in the Oxford English Dictionary is a meaningful explanation of “double down” other than the ubiquitous “to double the wager in exchange for only one additional card in Blackjack gambit” in every online dictionary.
Don’t try to double down the exposures of your retirement money in aggressive investments

It is the time to double down on the commitment of solar energy, rather than to scale back

HP is going to double down on Palm’s webOS
by vanderpol August 5, 2010
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live in a glass house

If you live in a glass house, then, it means your are in a vulnerable position that may be easily attacked or rebuked by your opponents
The congressman may live in a glass house when it comes to the ethics issue
by vanderpol August 1, 2010
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drain the swamp

"Drain the swamp" originally means to get rid of the malaria-carrying mosquitoes by draining the swamp. Figuratively, "drain the swamp" means "to exterminate something that is harmful" or anything that most of the people hate such as corruption or government waste. This term is especially attractive for politicians during campaign.
vow to drain the swamp in Washington DC
vow to drain the swamp of big government
by vanderpol August 1, 2010
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