fry drop

from neurolinguistics. it describes any phrase which can be used to demonstrate how the brain selectively re-interprets nonsensical language when delivered with a false context. the original social experiment involved walking up to a stranger and initiating a conversation. then once they were on verbal auto-pilot, delivering the statement as the first half of a conjunctive pair along with a misleading cue.

eg;
you: excuse me, do you know the way to the library?
stranger: yes it’s just up that street there.
you: is it far? i have to meet my sister at two o’clock.
stranger: umm, no. about half a mile.
you: (glancing at bare wrist) arcing jet of s-m-n? it’s just i don’t have a watch.
stranger: yes, it’s just after one-thirty.

it’s possible to use this technique to drop practically anything into a conversation without it being consciously registered by the other party. the etymology nods to british comedian stephen fry who often used it as an inside joke for his friends.
john pulled a fry drop on his boss yesterday. he asked him to poke his taint with a feather.