Of all the letters in the alphabet, which two or three are your favorites? If your short list includes one or more of your initials, that’s no accident. Psychological research shows we’re drawn to the letters in our name. • If you doubt...
We have collective nouns for animals, like “a gaggle of geese,” “a pride of lions,” and “an exaltation of larks.” So why not collective nouns for plants? How about a “greasing of palms,” or a...
kill screen n.— «We talk about what is known in classic-gaming argot as the “kill screen.” This is the edge of the universe, the place where instructions end. Billy has seen a lot of kill screens. Pac-Man comes to a halt at level 256, as...
Hello, you have A Way with Words! This past weekend's show covered a lot of ground, including new political language like "glass pockets" and "horseracism," and whether there is a relationship between "caucus" and...
trowel fodder n.— «It will be possible for people who have some excavation experience to come as volunteers. In these cases there will be no formal tuition provided. However, this does not simply mean that they will be used as trowel...
gravy plane n.— «Now, however, the gravy plane has been grounded. As a result of the reporters’ questions, City Manager Frank Fairbanks has decided that the city ought to actually put some limits on city junketeers.» —“Dig...