In Leonardo da Vinci, biographer Walter Isaacson notes that da Vinci was fond of riddles, including this one: Winged creatures will support people with their feathers. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Da Vinci Riddle” In his...
Janine in Charleston, South Carolina, is curious about the derogatory term feather merchant. In the mid-20th century feather merchant was used among members of the military to mean “a weakling,” or “a shirker.” This is part of a complete episode...
When a bird straightens and cleans its feathers with its own beak, it’s preening. If one bird is doing the same thing for another, that action is called allopreening. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Allopreen” If you see somebody...
When flight attendants use the terms feather, leather, or fin, they’re talking about “chicken, beef, or fish.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “In-Flight Lingo” Here’s another bit of airline slang. Feather leather fin. Feather...
The term callow goes back to Old English calu, meaning “bald.” The original sense of callow referred to young birds lacking feathers on their heads, then referred to a young man’s down cheek, and eventually came to mean “youthful” or “immature.”...
Great news for language fans: The Australian National Dictionary is now available online for free. It’s full of fascinating words from Down Under. Contrary to what you might think, for example, kangaroosters are pouchless and feather-free, and a...