Madison in Wilmington, North Carolina, says that whenever her family was about to leave the house, her grandfather would tell them to take Churchill’s advice, which they all understood to be a reminder to use the bathroom before setting out. The saying Never pass up the chance to sit down or go to the bathroom is often erroneously attributed to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. However a similar bit of counsel appeared in the memoir of his contemporary, King Edward VIII, after his abdication titled the Duke of Windsor. In his book A King’s Story (Amazon), he says that one of the few bits of positive advice he ever received was Never miss an opportunity to relieve yourself and never miss a chance to sit down and rest your feet. Researcher Nigel Rees has unearthed evidence the idea goes back even further among the royals as Always make water when you can. This is part of a complete episode.
According to Gobsmacked: The British Invasion of American English (Bookshop|Amazon) by Ben Yagoda, the word smarmy, meaning “unctuous” or “ingratiating,” may come from a 19th-century magazine contest, in which readers sent in...
Mary Beth in Greenville, South Carolina, wonders: Why do we say four-oh-nine for the number 409 instead of four-zero-nine or four-aught-nine? What are the rules for saying either zero or oh or aught or ought to indicate that arithmetical symbol...
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