"Suicide by Cop"

[Pafra & Scott Catledge]

Mr. Barnhart, Does your Dictionary Companion by any chance have a reference
to "soft opening."  The context is found in an article in the Money Section
(C, p. 1) of the NOLA Times-Picayune, "Contractors said the restaurant could
hold a soft opening in November and an official opening in December."  I
have never seen or heard this expression before--the meaning of course is
quite clear.
----- Original Message -----
From: Barnhart <ADS-L at HIGHLANDS.COM>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 1999 9:12 AM
Subject: Re: "Suicide by Cop"


> suicide-by-cop
>
> See The Barnhart Dictionary Companion (Vol. 11.2).
>
> One of the interesting features there is the variant _police-assisted
> suicide_.
>
> Nexis reveals for suicide by cop and suicide-by-cop supplied a large
> number of examples--overwhelmingly American dating from 1989.
>
> Regards,
> David K. Barnhart, Editor
> The Barnhart Dictionary Companion [quarterly]