federal government shutdown: Death ritual conducted by rich American men at an enormous, ornate temple on a hill.

financial strength: America's only moral barometer. Usage: "Should we talk about the financial strength of JP Morgan? The company continues to churn out tens of billions of dollars in earnings and hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue. How do you criticize that?"

rock star: An employee who has achieved a minor level of success doing marketing chores at a business. Etymology unknown. Usage: "Become a social media rock star in four easy steps [infographic]."

destination wedding: A journey you can't afford to a place you don't want to go to see people you don't like who demand expensive gifts.

We are terrorized by language every day! Word Terrorism fights back by revealing the true meanings behind America's most insidious words and phrases. If you've been a victim of word terrorism, please describe the incident in the comments below.