hoss-pinch n.— «To those of you who do not know what a “hoss-pinch” is, it is when somebody older than your grandmother has been working for many years in the fields, has used a “rub-board” for years to wash clothes and has soft motherly...
Fellow wordivas and wordudes, This week on A Way with Words we start a brand-new season! To celebrate, we noodled with anagrams, including the one in the title of this episode. Listen here. Also on the show: A New York City schoolteacher asks...
A Way with Words is starting a brand-new season! Find out what a motorcyclist wears to keep from getting sunburned– is it a do-rag or a dew-rag? A listener wonders “Why is an undesirable task called a g-job?” Martha shares a trick...
A New York City schoolteacher asks, “Why do we call our little finger a pinkie?” and relates his invented etymology. This is part of a complete episode.
bluebird n.— «In sales lingo, bluebirds are those opportunities that fly in the window with the salesperson not having to lift a finger. In some sourcing deals I do, I get the opportunity to deliver bluebirds—at least get some vendors in...
finger trouble n.— «The same quality has been designated “systematic diligence” elsewhere. Some radar observers exhibit “finger trouble” in tuning…» —by Stuart W. Cook Psychological research on...