A woman in Vancouver, Washington, wants to know the origin of the phrase the coast is clear, meaning “it’s safe to proceed.” It most likely has to do with a literal coast, whether from the perspective of a ship at sea or guards patrolling the...
A bi-coastal listener wonders about the terms West Coast and eastern seaboard. Why don’t we say Californians live on the western seaboard? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Coast vs. Seaboard” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi...
This week’s Slang This! contestant, a comic-book illustrator from Providence, R.I., tries to guess the meaning of the expressions “hat-catcher” and “to go shucks.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Hat-Catcher” You’re listening to A...
out the road adv.— «“Out the road”—There is a road that goes out of Juneau northwest along the coast that dead-ends after 30 or 40-some miles. There are other roads that go a ways and dead-end, but they are shorter, and they aren’t the road. A...