Definitions by wellwell

inthain 

(adj. derived from John Thain, former CEO of Merrill Lynch): describing extravagant behavior by the head of a failing organization, e.g. office renovations ordered by a CEO when the company is insolvent or bankrupt; akin to 'fiddling while Rome burns'

He spent $35,000 for a commode? That's positively inthain!

inthain by wellwell February 5, 2009

embonusment 

(n.) embonusment: a form of embezzlement involving authorization of year-end bonuses in failing banks and investment firms, financed by government bailouts
(v.) to embonus

The insolvency of many Wall Street firms did not prevent widespread embonusment, as industry professionals took whatever they could before the lights went out.

embonusment by wellwell February 1, 2009

bale-out 

(n. from the same root as 'baleful'):
(1) an expensive and hasty government bailout of an entire industry
(2) a government bailout that creates negative incentives for corporate executives while doing little to resolve an underlying economic crisis
(3) a government bailout that causes more harm than good

Time will tell whether the Troubled Asset Relief Program is a bale-out that hurts the economy over the long-run.

bale-out by wellwell February 1, 2009

despereal estate 

(n.) property with negative equity in a declining real estate market

There is so much despereal estate in this neighborhood. Behind every 'for sale' sign is a mortgage debt greater than the value of the house itself.

despereal estate by wellwell February 1, 2009

suislide 

(n.) a steep decline in global stock markets, triggering suicide attempts by investment professionals.

The great suislide of 2008-2009 took the lives of dozens of financial executives.

suislide by wellwell February 1, 2009

Canada

a term used in German concentration camps during the Second World War to refer to the building where valuables confiscated from prisoners were kept; German prison guards thought of Canada as a non-specific place of great wealth; for prisoners, 'Canada' connoted both wealth and freedom.

Gold confiscated from the prisoners went to Canada.

Canada by wellwell January 29, 2009

non-specific encouraging noises 

sounds made by government officials when interviewing a member of the public, intended to convey empathy but promising nothing.

As she listened to the refugee's heart-wrenching story, the immigration officer made non-specific encouraging noises.

non-specific encouraging noises by wellwell January 29, 2009