papa holua
n.— «Papa Holua is not the father of the hula hoop. It’s the name of an ancient Hawaiian sport that literally means “to slide into the pit” in Hawaiian.» —“Hawaii’s Insane and Ancient Downhill Sport, Papa Holua” Khalsa News Network Apr. 5, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
In the 15th century, the word respair meant “to have hope again.” Although this word fell out of use, it’s among dozens collected in a new book of soothing vocabulary for troubled times. Plus, baseball slang: If a batter...
There was a time when William Shakespeare was just another little seven-year-old in school. Classes in his day were demanding — and all in Latin. A new book argues that this rigorous curriculum actually nurtured the creativity that later flourished...