The slang term doorknobbing denotes an extended leave-taking, as when someone says “Goodbye,” but keeps coming up with one more thing to say. Sharon in Wind River, Wyoming, shares a story about someone who used to respond to such a person with If you’re going to go, go. If you’re going to stay, stay. But for God’s sake, don’t ooze out. We’ve talked about Mexican leave-taking and US Southern leave-taking before. This is part of a complete episode.
If you’re going to hit the road in a motor home, best to bone up on some of the slang used by RV enthusiasts, like stinky slinky, PUPs, and gassers. A stinky slinky is a sewer hose, a PUP is a pop-up camper, and a gasser is a motor home powered by...
A listener in Lorain, Ohio, wonders about the origin of the terms happy and happiness. Both come from an older word hap, meaning “chance” or “luck,” also the source of happen, mishap, hapless, happenstance, happy-go-lucky, and perhaps. Language...
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