puddle up v. phr.— «Days after the filming of a climactic, emotional scene, people on the set were still marveling at Kodi’s performance. A couple said they had puddled up just from watching the monitor and needed to sneak a tear-dabbing...
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...