Easy targets

Glossary of difficult words

"riding black" - a translation of a common Czech term for riding without paying;

hapless - unfortunate, luckless;

DP Praha - Dopravní podnik, the city-owned Prague transit company;

to pounce - to spring forward suddenly so as to attack or seize someone or something;

to haul someone in - to take someone to the police station or other official agency;

to cough up - to pay;

alderman - a city councilor;

Mafia Square - a derogative nickname for the square (Mariánské nám.) where Prague city hall is located;

give with the right hand, take back with the left - to make a show of giving something to someone only to take it back by another means.