Shifting the Burden

The tactic of moving the burden of proof from the one making a claim to the one questioning it. Shifting the burden is what happens when someone says "prove me wrong" instead of supporting their own position. It's the logic of "you can't prove God doesn't exist, so he does," of "you can't prove vaccines are safe, so they're dangerous." Shifting the burden inverts the normal rules of argument, putting the challenger in the impossible position of proving a negative. The cure is recognizing that the burden of proof lies with the positive claim, not with its critics. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, not extraordinary skepticism.

Shifting the Burden Example: "He claimed the election was stolen. When asked for evidence, he shifted the burden: 'Prove it wasn't.' She couldn't prove a negative; that's not how proof works. But shifting the burden had worked: now she was on the defensive, trying to disprove his unsupported claim. The argument was upside down, and he liked it that way."

Shifting the Burden by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 17, 2026

sans sheriff 

Lawless use of fonts or typography, with no regard to aesthetics or legibility

I'm putting this CV straight in the bin. Written totally sans sheriff.

sans sheriff by Jamarley July 3, 2019

Breadhead 

Someone who is addicted to obtaining money and building wealth. A money addict and fanatic. Breadheads often work more than one full-time job, and some even participate in illicit activities to "obtain the bread".

A breadhead is like a crackhead, but for money instead of crack.

Breadhead by 🅱️ U S 3 4 8 March 30, 2022

Stink lines

As seen in illustrations or cartoons: Wavy, vertical lines rising above a person, place or thing. Denotes a foul odor.

"You didn't put enough stink lines on your picture of the teacher."

Stink lines by Athene Airheart March 14, 2004

schmegegge 

Yiddish slang word meaning bullshit, baloney, hogwash, nonsense, crock of shit or hot air.

I don't buy the schmegegge about Morty sleeping with Moira.
His version of the story was pure schmegegge.
The whole schmegegge was made up to get Liz a little bit of attention.

schmegegge by budsbabe February 1, 2008

eye bleach 

Looking or experiencing something nice after witnessing something horrid like a disgusting gif or a disturbing video. Typically used as eye bleach are nice images of whatever makes the disturbed person happy.

"Bleach my eyes! Why is that woman's face ripped off!?"
*Looks up images of puppies and kittens.*
"That's good eye bleach."

eye bleach by Rini2012 November 29, 2016

Stroad

Noun. Portmanteau of "street" and "road": it describes a street, er, road, built for high speed, but with multiple access points. Excessive width is a common feature. A common feature in suburbia, especially along commercial strips. Unsafe at any speed, their extreme width and straightness paradoxically induces speeding. Somewhat more neutral than synonymous traffic sewer.

Did you see what the traffic engineers want to do to our street? They're going to turn it into a total stroad!

Stroad by hammersklavier February 21, 2012