Alex from Columbia, Missouri, wonders about rank and file, meaning “the members of the body of an organization as opposed to its leaders.” In 12th-century France, the words renc or ranc referred to a row of soldiers. The word file means a “line” or...
Chris from Castro, New York, is curious about bum rush or bum’s rush, which refers to forcibly removing someone from an establishment. In 1987, Public Enemy’s debut album Yo! Bum Rush the Show popularized the use of bum rush to mean something...
Grant and Martha discuss strange names for high school sports teams. Know another example? Talk about it in the forum. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Strange Mascot Names” You’re listening to A Way with Words. I’m Martha Barnette...
tapering n.— «Leading up to a big meet, swimmers use a process called tapering, decreasing the distance they swim in practice. The method allows their bodies to rest and recover, and generally leads to faster times.» —“10 Things You Didn’t Know...
pasting-up n.— «“Pasting-up” of the rear of baby chicks (feces sticking and drying below and then sometimes accumulating upwards to even cover the vent) may occur following stress or chilling.» —“Poultry” by Jesse Lyons University of Missouri...
