Date: Thu, 18 Jan 1996 18:59:18 -0400 From: "E. Wayles Browne" Subject: Re: The Rat Pack is a rodent lighter >>Date: Thu, 18 Jan 1996 15:19:00 +0900 >>From: KIM > >>Here's a passage that's got me puzzled: >> >> New Year's is a time to stand back and take stock (or divest, if you >> happened to have bought shares of Caere Corp. in the past six months). >> The Rat Pack is another rodent lighter, and luckless taxpayers are still >> waiting for the gates to open at Yellowstone and the immigration office. >> >>Could someone please tell me what's a rodent lighter? Maybe I'm literal-minded, but I think it means 'is, once again, lighter by one rodent' = 'has lost another one of its members'. Wayles Browne, Assoc. Prof. of Linguistics Morrill Hall, Cornell University Ithaca, New York 14853, U.S.A. tel. 607-255-0712 (o), 607-273-3009 (h) fax 607-255-2044 (write FOR W. BROWNE) e-mail ewb2[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]cornell.edu (1989 to 1993 was: jn5j[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]cornella.bitnet // jn5j[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]cornella.cit.cornell.edu)