If the phrase “I miss you” feels drained of meaning after using it over and over, try this line from To Kill a Mockingbird as a substitute: “I wonder how much of the day I spend just callin’ after you.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript...
It’s the business of business jargon. Say you’re in line at the drugstore. Does it bother you if the cashier says, “Next guest”? In department stores and coffeeshops, does the term “guest” suggest real hospitality—or just an annoying edict from...
Back when George W. Bush was a student at a New England prep school, he took to the thesaurus to impress a teacher, and wound up using a synonym for the wrong meaning for tear. Hence, the telltale phrase lacerates falling from my eyes wound up in...
An Indianapolis caller wonders if there’s any difference in meaning between the words scared and afraid. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Scared vs. Afraid” Hi there, you have A Way with Words. Hello, this is Brian Traub from...
To throw a wobbly means lose self-control in a panic or temper tantrum, or to cause consternation by acting in a surprising way. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “What Does “Throw a Wobbly” Mean in British English?” Here’s an...
Need a word for the cheerful but futile advice one offers despite knowing that the recipient’s efforts might not pan out? Try floptimism. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Floptimism” Grant, here’s another coined word involving...
