In the southern United States, the baculums of raccoons— nicknamed Texas toothpicks—are considered signs of luck and fertility.

Although most of the buoyancy of a ship is provided by the middle part of the hull and comparatively little by the tapering ends, nothing will ever prevent people from putting heavy weights into the ends of a ship. One result of this is that many vessels tend to 'hog' (the two ends tend to droop and the middle of the hull tends to rise).

He cast his penetrating glance around, and then unbonnetting to the duke, he said respectfully,[…]

I'm looking for work again because they gave me the heave-ho.