ArchiveMarch 2013

Elbow Grease

Elbow grease isn’t a product you can buy at the hardware store. If a task demands elbow grease, that just means whatever you’re doing requires hard work that might result in sweat. This is part of a complete episode.

Knock a Tater in the Head

Come on over for dinner, we’ll knock a tater in the head or something! This lovely form of a dinner invite came to us from Vera, a listener in British Columbia who heard it while living in Arkansas. This is part of a complete episode.

“Whistling Dixie” Origin

You ain’t just whistling Dixie, and that’s the truth! Whistling Dixie, which refers to a studied carelessness, comes from the song that originated in minstrel shows and from which the South takes its nickname. But if you say someone...

Spizzerinctum

Do you have spizerinctum (or spizzerinctum) and huckledebuck? These terms for passion and energy, respectively, are fun examples of false Latin, meaning they replicate the look and mouthfeel of Latin words but aren’t actually Latin...

Top Pet Names

According to vetstreet.com, the top ten female puppy names from 2012 include Bella, Daisy, Lucy, Molly, and Lola. Notice anything odd? They’re all human names! Gone are the days of pets named Fluffy and Pooch. In are the days of human children...

Daisy-Cutting

The term daisy-cutting, which refers to the low-action trot of Arabian and Thoroughbred horses, is reminiscent of the low grounder in baseball known as a daisy cutter and even the daisy cutter explosive, which shoots low-flying shrapnel. This is...

Recent posts