While most are calling the current government shutdown just that, some have opted for the more specific "partial government shutdown." Foxnews.com, on the other hand, has decided to take a more original approach, replacing all mentions of a "government shutdown" on its website with the comparatively anodyne phrase "government slimdown."

"A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN?" blares one headline before continuing, "Not really — turns out it's more of a government SLIMDOWN." The accompanying article offers some further explanation of the rhetorical tic, with an opening paragraph that reads:

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What the Obama administration is portraying as a "shutdown" of the federal government -- complete with signs posted at the entrances to government buildings, parks and monuments -- is turning out to be more of a "slimdown," as all but non-essential workers reported to their jobs Tuesday.

Yet whether it's called a government shutdown, a partial government shutdown, or a government slimdown, the consequences remain the same: a daily cost of $300 million and a negative shock to an economy already struggling under the weight of high unemployment and flatlining wages.