Here’s a variant of a phrase that’s familiar to many African-Americans, but virtually unknown to most others: “I’m so broke I couldn’t buy a louse a wrestling jacket.” What’s its meaning and origin? It’s also heard “buy a flea a wrestling jacket” or...
vermacular n.— «Thanks to the character-inspired icons for various Mac-related applications, there’s a new word-building form of entertainment to get bored workers through the doldrums of the day. Like a contemporary version of the grade school...
synch license n.— «Barring an exception under copyright law, the use of a sound recording and/or composition in a film requires a license from the owner (or owners) of the copyrights. Thus, for example, for the film Donnie Darko to feature a slow...
DK n.— «Of course there are the other 10 percent of passengers, what he calls the “frumps, humbugs, and nasties,” as well as the DKs (the police radio code for drunks, which Clements refers to as “the entertainment”).» —“Life down under” by Billy...
You may have used the expression, “Nobody here but us chickens!” Would you still use it if you knew its origins lie in a racist joke from the turn of the 20th century? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Nobody Here but Us Chickens!”...
In this week’s installment of “Slang This!” a contestant from the National Puzzlers’ League tries to guess the meaning of the term vigorish. And no, it’s not a Viagra-laced anise liqueur. He also guesses the meaning of the phrase “how we roll.” This...
