The old garage smelled of oil and burnt rubber. Elias, a veteran mechanic, was under the hood of a 1994 Honda Civic that had seen better days. The owner complained of a "mysterious rattle" every time they hit third gear. Elias reached down and grabbed the shift lever, feeling an unusual amount of —the shifter moved like a spoon in a bowl of soup.

In the performing arts, specifically in the context of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play I Am My Own Wife , the term has been used by creators to describe the theatrical exploration of gender and identity.

"There’s your problem," Elias called out, his voice muffled by the engine block. He knew immediately that the factory shift lever ball seat was worn down, causing far too much slack. It was a common fix, but one that required precision. As he worked to replace the bearing and seal, he thought about the many "trannies" he’d swapped over the years, each with its own unique set of quirks and "slop" that could make or break a car's performance.