How about the phrase “on the ball”? A listener wonders if its origin derives from a landing maneuver on aircraft carriers. Does his theory hold water? This is part of a complete episode.
Quiz Guy Johnny C—a.k.a. John Chaneski—works his magic with a new puzzle called “Three’s a Charm.” The object of the game is to figure out the one word that can be placed in front of each of three other words to form three new...
That stuff under your bed—what do you call it? Dust bunnies? House moss? Beggar’s velvet? Ghost turds? Those fluffy little puffballs go by lots of different names. But a caller is perplexed by his mother’s term for those ever-multiplying...
You know the type: Those guys whose everyday wardrobes are the fashion equivalent of oatmeal, with nothing fancier than khaki pants and knit shirts. One such fashion minimalist wonders if there’s a specific terms for guys like him. He puts the...
When you were growing up, what did you call that piece of playground equipment that you climb up and then slide down? A former New Jersey resident recalls that when her family moved to Indiana, her playmates were startled when she called it a...
Feeling fankled? It’s a Scots English word that means “messed up” or “confused.” This is part of a complete episode.