A psychiatric home health worker is curious about the use of nuthouse to mean “a mental health facility.” This term goes back to the turn of the 20th century. The word nuts itself once had an extremely positive connotation, referring to anything as delicious and satisfying as these edible kernels. By the 18th century, to be nuts on meant “to be fond of” something or someone, and over time, to be nuts or nutty came to mean having extreme, over-the-top enthusiasm about something, and eventually took on the meaning of being “emotionally unstable or extreme.” The association of nuts with not being right in the head was probably also influenced by the use of the term nut, as applied metaphorically to one’s hard, similarly shaped head. This is part of a complete episode.
What makes a great first line of a book? How do the best authors put together an initial sentence that draws you in and makes you want to read more? We’re talking about the openings of such novels as George Orwell’s 1984...
To slip someone a mickey means to doctor a drink and give it to an unwitting recipient. The phrase goes back to Mickey Finn of the Lone Star Saloon in Chicago, who in the late 19th century was notorious for drugging certain customers and relieving...
Subscribe to the fantastic A Way with Words newsletter!
Martha and Grant send occasional messages with language headlines, event announcements, linguistic tidbits, and episode reminders. It’s a great way to stay in touch with what’s happening with the show.
