Re: Gig economy

[Max Demian]

Troglodytes.

[newshound]

Seems pretty obvious to me

[Brian Gaff (Sofa 2]

Well its a term for when you work you get money, when you don't you don't, often off the books to some extent and depending on how you define it can include what we used to call 0 hours contracts and casual labour. Brian

[ARW]

And my Mother. But she is a bit thick.

[Fredxx]

Oh dear:

[harry]

I think it derives from "fallback" position. But you're right, it's stupid.

[harry]

A bit like the word "chavs". No-one knows the origin.

[Steve Walker]

backstop (n.)

1819, "something at the back as a barrier;" see back (adj.) + stop (n.). In U.S. baseball, from 1889, "fence a short distance behind the catcher;" figurative extension to "catcher on a baseball team" is from 1890. The verb is attested from 1956 in the sense of "support." Related: Backstopped; backstopping.

[Max Demian]

Bacronym.

[ARW]

Scientists just make it up;.)

Physicists do some research