Our conversation about the phrase pain in the pinny and its relationship to the word pinafore prompted Susan from Eugene, Oregon, to share a memory of wearing pinnies in gym class. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Gym Class...
This week: Do you ever find yourself less-than-specific about your age? Listeners share some of their favorite phrases for fudging that number, like: “Oh, I’m 29, plus shipping and handling.” Also in this episode: • Since ancient times, people have...
A listener in Ypsilanti, Michigan, wonders how the Army vehicle called a jeep got its name. Answer: It was associated with Eugene the Jeep, a strange creature from the 1930s comic strip, Popeye. Lexicographers and etymologists find no evidence to...
toy hauler n.— «A good number of the units on display were of a style that didn’t even exist a few years ago. That would be the “sport utility trailer,” more commonly known as the “toy hauler.” A SUT is a travel trailer that doubles as a garage on...
petbull n.— «Pit bull enthusiasts, who sometimes refer to the dogs as “petbulls,” devote Web sites to changing perceptions about the animal. They note that one of the most beloved dogs of television and film fame—Petey of “Our Gang” and “The Little...
jerk patrol n.— «It allows Duck fans to call a special line—what some college and pro stadiums refer to as the “jerk patrol”—to report incidents of misbehavior.» —“Victory sure is swHEAT” by Mark Backer Register-Guard (Eugene, Oregon) Sept. 3, 2006...