etaoin shrdlu

American  

[et-ee-oin shurd-loo, -oh-in, ee-tee-] / ˈɛt iˌɔɪn ˈʃɜrd lu, -ˌoʊ ɪn, ˈi ti- /

noun

1. the letters produced by running the finger down the first two vertical rows of keys at the left of the keyboard of a Linotype machine: used as a temporary marking slug or to indicate that an earlier mistake in the line necessitates resetting, but sometimes inadvertently cast and printed.

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Etymology

Origin of etaoin shrdlu

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Newspaper readers occasionally encounter in the day's news the following cryptogram: "etaoin shrdlu etaoin shrdlu etaoin shrdlu."

From Time Magazine Archive

"That's a double two-em-dashed lie, you etaoin shrdlu so-and-so!" somebody yelled.

From Four-Day Planet by Piper, H. Beam