The Thread Vol. 1 - The Dictionary

Dive into our world of McCalman.Co-isms, a playful rebellion against standard grammar where we craft the words we need because sometimes breaking the rules is the only way to get it right.

airtighting

/ˈɛrˌtaɪtɪŋ/ verb

1.⁠ ⁠The act of obsessively perfecting something until there is absolutely no room for error, critique, or stray particles of imperfection. Often involves an almost theatrical level of attention to detail, bordering on compulsive.

Example: “Before we send this to the client, let’s make sure we’re airtighting it. I want no feedback except applause.”

2.⁠ ⁠A team-wide ritual of collectively overthinking a project until every conceivable issue has been solved—whether it exists or not. Known to result in sleepless nights, a surplus of Post-it notes, and the eventual realization that the original idea was already fine.

Example: “We’ve been airtighting this pitch for so long that I forgot what the client actually wanted.”

3.⁠ ⁠Colloquial: The art of "one last check" that somehow spirals into a complete overhaul. Synonym: perfecticide.

Origin: Believed to have originated in the McCalman.Co studio during an intense branding session. It was first used in a sentence when someone declared, “We’re not just reviewing this—we’re airtighting it,” sparking both panic and admiration.

Use in a sentence:

"Is the deck ready, or are we still airtighting it?"

"If you’re airtighting this logo any further, it might actually levitate."

Pro Tip: Airtighting is best used sparingly. Perfection is great, but so is sleep.