Noah in Charleston, South Carolina, wonders about the origin of hangover, “the unpleasant physical results of drinking too much alcohol.” Does it come from the old penny hang, also called a hangover, a place where people without a place...
Janine in Charleston, South Carolina, is curious about the derogatory term feather merchant. In the mid-20th century feather merchant was used among members of the military to mean “a weakling,” or “a shirker.” This is part...
Jeremy calls from Charleston, South Carolina, to say that when he lived in southeast New Hampshire, he was puzzled by the use of a seemingly negative response to indicate something positive. For example, if he said I drive a red car and his listener...
litter gitter n.— «A grant from Heiner’s Bakery and matching grant from the city pays for pickup sticks, affectionately called, litter gitters.» —“Neighborhood Cleanup A Group Effort in Huntington” by Gina Long in...
whiskey plank n.— «The whiskey plank, as it is called because sailors traditionally have a drink or ten after they finish planking a ship’s hull, was cut to fit by Teddy Huff, who has been working at the shipyard about five months...