How did the word gay go from meaning lighthearted to homosexual? Also, why are elementary schools sometimes called grammar schools? Plus, imeldific, gone pecan, random Scrabble words, and the difference between borrow and lend. And the etiquette of...
If someone’s gone pecan, they’re doomed, defeated, and down on their luck. This idiom, common in New Orleans, probably caught on because of its rhyme. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Gone Pecan, A Southern Saying” Hello, you have...
gone pecan n. a person who is doomed, defeated, or beyond rescue; a goner. Editorial Note: As noted in the 2003 citation, pecan is pronounced in this expression to rhyme with gone, so it’s something like “puh-KAHN” rather than “PEE-kann,” which is...

