swankienda n. a mansion or large house. Editorial Note: This term appears to be special to the Houston, Texas, area, but has also spread elsewhere. Etymological Note: swanky + Sp. hacienda. Journalist Maxine Mesinger is often credited with the coinage. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
On a busy day in the emergency room, Alisa of Dallas, Texas, told an efficient colleague that she was really humming, meaning it as a compliment. Her colleague took offense, maintaining that humming meant “smelly.” Since the 18th...
Twice a day the River Thames recedes, revealing a muddy shoreline. Hobbyists known as mudlarks stroll the surface searching for objects that have found their way into the river over the centuries, everything from ancient Roman jewelry to modern...