Swarthy doesn’t mean hairy. Christian from Austin, Texas, used the phrase swarthy-eyed dog, and his wife, an English teacher, insisted the word meant hairy. It actually describes someone who is dark-complected, with dark skin and dark hair, the kind...
Obamamania, Obamabot, Obamathon, Obamamentum— the list of variations on the name “Obama” goes on and on. Is there an English word that means “the in-laws of your son or daughter”? And what does it mean when someone...
A caller who grew up with 10 brothers and sisters recalls that whenever sibling squabbles erupted, her parents would intervene with a cheery, “Do you think the rain will hurt the rhubarb?” The children were expected to respond with:...
When Barack Obama intoned, “I do not underestimate the enormity of the task ahead,” some grammar sticklers recoiled. Pointing to the word’s roots, they insist that enormity means not “large,” but “out of the...
square n.— «This time last year, roof repairs generally cost $180 to $240 per every 100 square feet, or what the industry calls a “square,” said Aaron Anders, who owns a local roofing company. Today, he said, roof work costs from $240 to...
Here's another newsletter from A Way with Words! Who calls baby platypuses "puggles"? Who calls a playground slide a "sliding pond"? Who calls dust bunnies "slut's wool"? You can find out on the brand-new...
