Earthing
Electrical grounding term essential to safety in electrical work
The action of walking on grass in bare feet; soaking up the earths energy through your soles.
Fun terms
500 pieces of shop floor, site and apprentice slang. The language that never makes it into a catalogue.
Fun terms are quoted from Urban Dictionary, where a lot of trade slang gets written down first. Each entry links back to the original and credits its author. These are how people talk, not what belongs in a specification.
EEPROM
Legitimate electronics/manufacturing technical term
Electically Eraseable Programmable Read Only Memory. An EPROM that can be erased with a higher voltage than it is programmed with.
Efflorescence
Key masonry and construction defect term professionals need
Efflorescence is the formation of crusty, white salt deposits, leached from mortar or masonry as water passes through it.
egyptian cotton
Textile trade vocabulary, genuine material specification
A fine, lustrous cotton grown in Egypt. Egyptian Cotton is a long staple cotton, valued for its softness and texture. Longer staple fibers help produce a softer fabric, either sheet or towel. Egyptian cotton also is known for its...
elbow grease
Classic workplace term for hard physical labor effort
The idea that one is working hard or could be working hard by putting all their effort into the job at hand.
encapsulation
Real carpet cleaning industry method with actual name
Commonly referred to as the scrub and run method of interium carpet maintenance. It was derived through the shampoo method of carpet cleaning.
EPROM
Technical electronics term; explains programmable memory and UV erasure
Electrically Programmable ROM. Higher than normal voltages are required to program (save information) to this kind of ROM. Typically a large IC with a paper sticker covering a little glass window. The memory can be reset or...
Esc
Vehicle electronics safety system; relevant to automotive trades
1. The abbreviation found on a key on a keyboard that stands for "Escape." 2. Abbreviation for "Electronic Stability Control" which is a computer that has all the features found in TCS and ABS, but prevents things like understeer...
facing
Real retail/grocery store term for shelf merchandising
The act of arranging and re-arranging items in a grocery store, usually on a shelf. Not actually making them neater per se, but turning the objects toward you so that they "face" you. Usually done by a grocery clerk of some kind.
FDD
Workplace software engineering jargon; humorous critique of skipping QA
Faith driven development. A form of software engineering practice where prayers are used before pushing software to production instead of QA and rigorous testing.
feather
Lab technical term for pipette handling procedure
(Science) The process of pulling back on the sterile wrap of a disposable pipette to then insert the pipette into a pipettor. It may also include the process of inserting the pipette into a pipettor.
feedback
Sound engineering issue, genuine shop floor problem
The characteristically high pitched sound that is emitted from speakers when a loop of interference develops between poorly placed speakers and microphones.
Ferrule
Real workshop term for pencil eraser fastener
Ferrule is the metal tip at the top of a pencil, the one that holds the eraser in place. Did you now this because i didnt, i just googled it.
FIFO
Legitimate remote work schedule in mining/oil
Fly in, fly out. As in people who fly to their workplace (usually for a week or two at a time), then fly back home. This type of work schedule is common in Australia, especially in mining companies as the mine site is often quite...
Fired
Workplace term with interesting historical origin story
To have your employment terminated. This term originated with National Cash Register in Dayton Ohio. When a manager was let go, they would literally carry his desk into the courtyard between manufacturing buildings and burn the...
fit and finish
Manufacturing quality standard, useful in trade
The attention to detail of a finished product, most often referring to manufactured products (cars, handguns, etc) but also applicable to almost any human production (tv shows, websites, etc). Fit refers to how well the component...
Flange
Train wheel engineering term, prevents derailment
The inside part of a train wheel that prevents it from derailing, and enables it to traverse corners.
flare
Spray paint technique used by graffiti artists and decorators
Spray paint technique that causes the line of paint to widen and fade away. To do a flare you just use your wrist to tilt the can away from the wall. Some caps work better than others. Sunset from france has the best flares...
flashing
Electronic device reprogramming, actual technical term
The procedure of re-programming the flash-memory / Software / computer memory /Read-only memory of an elctronic device
fleeceware
Genuine tech/business term for predatory app billing practice
A mobile app, typically for the Android operating system, whose sole purpose appears to be to severely overcharge users of fee-based or subscription mobile apps after the trial period ends. When the trial expires, if the user who...
floor it
Traffic/driving term, tradesperson would recognize and use
Go... now! to speed up and be atentive in traffic on the road and highway
flow meter
Industrial instrument; straightforward technical definition
Refers to the meter of the total amount of fluid in the measured time interval at the selected time interval. Simply put, it is a meter used to measure the flow of fluid in a pipe or open channel.
flush
Hobo slang for having money; used in trade/labor contexts
Rich, having money, especially when the described person does not usually have money, is poor, etc. This may be a temporary condition, i.e. the money will run out soon. From American hobo slang.
Flux
Engineering term for flow rate through surfaces
Refers to the amount and rate at which a liquid (or gas) enters or leaves a surface. Mostly used in engineering courses, but it is also seen in vector calculus.
flyboy
Aviation/military workplace term for aircraft pilot or airman
He who commands an aircraft. Any male capable of airmanship and/or aviation. Also known as an: ace, airman, aeronaut, aviator, birdman, eagle, flier, hotshot, jet jockey, navigator, pilot, skyman, throttle jockey, and...
Foreigner
British workplace slang for unofficial side work using company resources
Common British slang for unofficial work, often making use of company equipment/ time/ premises but solely for personal gain, unrelated to the interests of the company and/or tax department. This phrase is short for 'Foreigner...
Fork
Software development term for derivative codebase
taking a program, and using it for a different purpose, essentially two similar programs, based off the same coding.
Fourth Rail
Railway electrification system with technical specifications
1. A type of railway electrification where an extra rail is added in place of third rail, used for current return purposes. Few railway system uses this, notably being the London Underground 2. A group making railway games on the...
fpga
Engineering acronym, technical reference for electronics work
The abbreviation for 'Field Programmable Gate Arrays', a kind of Digital IC that has a large number of transisters which can be programmed and re-programmed to make a variety of circuits to do a variety of functions. This is in...
frankenstein
Workshop/maker term for assembling improvised items from parts
To hack off choice bits of one or more existing items and then attach them to a new project, thereby bending them to suit your own requirements (diabolic or not). No gothic castles, fortuitously-timed electrical storms or god...
Frankensteined
Shop floor term for improvised assembly from mixed parts
The haphazard amalgamating or "mashing up" of elements from multiple ideas, objects or projects into one single output, often due to lack of possibility to come up with something genuinely unique/new. Usually refers to student...
fret
Guitar terminology; actual trade vocabulary
a marker on the neck of a guitar showing where to press down the string to produce the desired note.
FUBAR
Military/industrial acronym, workplace-appropriate despite asterisk
acronym: meaning f*cked up beyond all recognition. Often used by military personnel.
fuel cell
Legitimate industrial technology definition, clean and technical
A device which converts (most notably) hydrogen into electricity. They are extremely clean, quiet, and efficient, with the only emissions being heat and water vapor. They are MUCH better than internal combustion engines.
full monty
Work phrase meaning complete job or full scope work
Doesn't necessarily mean to take off all your clothes. It just means the "whole thing" or going the "whole way" not stopping at a point.
Fuse
Electrical safety device; essential industrial vocabulary
fuse an electrical device designed to blow breaking the circuit during an overload or short circuit protecting wiring and devices attached to the circuit fuses are usually one time use devices and must be replaced once they blow...
fuse box
Essential electrical equipment and historical construction term
fuse box or fuse panel is similar to a breaker panel or circuit breaker panel except using one time use replaceable fuses where once the only form of circuit protection and electrical distribution in residential commercial and...
Gallery
Optical instrument terminology, genuine technical detail
An elevated frame/bracket on the inside of a monocle, allowing the wearer to slot the monocle easily. The gallery holds the monocle away from the eye, preventing the eyelashes from jarring. Monocles with galleries are far more...
gas axe
Trade jargon for cutting torch, funny and authentic
An oxyacetylene cutting torch. So called because it runs on gas, and is useful for chopping things off quickly (albeit none too neatly).
Gasser
Genuine drag racing terminology for modified cars.
A modified closed car or rat rod that competes at drag races.
gauge
Standard piercing/wire gauge terminology, tradesperson reference
what sizes of plugs are called. not a verb. you can not gauge. you can stretch a piercing you can not gauge it. it would be like saying "I'm going to large" its what Sizes are referred to. NOT a verb. the bigger the number the...
Gearhead
Common mechanic/engineer term for engine enthusiasts
Someone who is totally into cars and is very knowledgeable about how to modify and fix them.
Geep
Genuine railfan term for EMD GP locomotive series
The railfan term for Electro-Motive Division's "General Purpose" or "GP" series of four-axled road switchers.
ghost call
Workplace mobile phone mishap, relatable tradesperson experience
To unintentionally and unknowingly call someone with your cell phone redial/speedial because you did not lock your keypad and the exposed buttons were pressed by keys in the pocket, by sitting on your phone, etc... Costly mistake...
gimped
Systems failure term tradies understand and use
When a large system is brought down by a single lame part, that is constantly the source of repeated failure, the system is said to have been gimped. People always want to replace the gimp, but it cannot be replaced. Gimping can...
gip
Yorkshire workplace/construction slang for retching
A Yorkshire term meaning to wretch. Outsiders often assume it means to vomit, but gipping is only a precursor to vomiting and vomiting does not necessarily ensue.
gizmo
Catchall for small mechanical/technical devices, tradespace humor
any advanced technological device, usually pointless and/or confusing. similaly: gadget, widget, whatchumacallit, etc. palm pilots, global positioning systems, radar detectors, digital camera widgets, generally anything small and...
Glasspack
Automotive exhaust component, legitimate technical term
A type of exhaust. Features a straight through exhaust tube to provide as much exhaust flow as possible (with holes or baffles in it to direct the exhaust into the packing) that is surrounded by a steel wool or fiberglass packing...
glove compartment
Standard vehicle compartment term, useful reference
The compartment in almost any vehicle that is on the passenger's side. Used to keep old-fashioned driving gloves in. Now used for ect. items.
gnarly
Describes something gross or twisted, useful in shop floor
Gross, painful, twisted, and tweaked. Like pulling seven hairs out of your nose at once.
Go Time
Sports/training vocabulary for pushing hard when action starts
A phrase to say when it is time to undergo a task and get serious about doing something. Commonly used in rowing or other sporting events/practices. Go Time signals you to concentrate your energy and push to your absolute limits...
Gob
Irish slang for mouth, used in construction sites
Mouth of Irish origin. Word in the Irish language. In Irish (Gaeilge)gob, meaning beak transfered as slang in English as mouth
gondola
Industrial/transport equipment - ski lift and boat
A light flat-bottomed boat used on Venetian canals, having a high point at each end and worked by one oar at the stern. Another meaning is the seating compartment in a ski lift.
gopher
Genuine workplace term for low-ranking task workers
n. A low-ranking employee who is made to do the bidding of their superiors. So-called because they are often running around doing various small tasks.
government job
Authentic workplace slang for unofficial supervisor-directed tasks
Unofficial task done in the workplace. Common abbreviation: G-job. Origin: during WWII, some sensitive tasks were given directly to a worker, and his supervisor might not be authorized to know exactly what it was. Thus the...
GPRS
Technical industry standard for mobile data communications
General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) is a packet-based wireless communication service that promises data rates from 56 up to 114 Kbps and continuous connection to the Internet for mobile phone and computer users. The higher data...
grabber
Shop floor slang for overtime-seeking worker.
One who shamelessly pursues any overtime available as long as its for payment - a Mercenary
Granny
Granny shot is real basketball/sports terminology
1. n. Short for "grandmother," used informally. 2. v. To throw an object by holding it in both hands and pitching it underhand, generally while bending the knees. Used often when referring to a style of throwing a basketball for...
gravel rash
Common workplace injury term, practical and factual.
The horribly painful rash one gets after tripping and falling, or 'pavement surfing' as it's often called.
greenhorn
Legitimate workplace term for inexperienced worker
Someone who is unfamiliar with, or is new at a concept. Someone who is alien to a particular way of life.
Get the Word of the Day
One industrial term every day, with the trade it belongs to and why it is worth knowing. No advertising.