Images of birds flutter inside lots of English words and phrases, from “nest egg” and “pecking order,” to proverbs from around the world—including a lovely Spanish saying about how birds sense light just before dawn. Plus, how do you define “fun”...
A Pennsylvania woman says that when her stepmother was frustrated by someone, such as when the driver ahead of her was dawdling at a traffic light, she’d express her irritation with Are you posing for animal crackers? This expression goes back at...
Sometimes children misunderstand language with hilarious results. But sometimes even adults can be tripped up by homonyms. Working behind the seafood counter in a supermarket, John from San Diego, California, had some embarrassing miscommunications...
C-r-r-r-r-reeeeeeeeaaaaaak! Last weekend, we reached into the AWWW vault and pulled out an oldie but goodie, featuring “death eatin’ a cracker walkin’ backwards,” “graveyard shift,” “saved by the bell,” and “dead ringer.” We also discussed “Bob...
magic Negro n.— «Unlike the typical bluesy earth folksy denim-overalls noble-in-the-face-of-cracker-racism aw shucks Pulitzer Prize-winning protagonist mojo black man, I am not the seventh son of a seventh son of a seventh son. » —by Paul...
skidiot n. an unsophisticated or unskilled self-styled black-hat hacker or cracker who uses computer- and network-intrusion software made by others; a script kiddie. Also skiddiot. Etymological Note: script kiddie + idiot (source: Double-Tongued...