Eric from Millbank, South Dakota, says his grandmother used the term duke’s mixture to denote “a hodgepodge,” such as ingredients in a stew. Duke’s mixture was originally the name of a cheap tobacco that was made from leftover odds and ends of...
You seem to hear it on all the television hospital dramas: “stat!” A physician says she knows it means “immediately,” but she doesn’t know its origins. Quick! Is there a Latin expert in the house? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
crab n.— «According to Parker, it didn’t take him and Davis long to spot some “crabs”—a derogatory term for Crips—who were easily identified by their “flags,” or blue bandannas.» —“In Durham, ‘Everybody needs some protection’” by John...
zero period n.— «The new schedule has seven 50-minute periods, and extends the school day by 15 minutes. Before, the high school day had six 55-minute periods, but many students took an extra class —- commonly called a “zero period”—before the...