Mealy-mouthed is an old phrase meaning someone’s vague, equivocal or beats around the bush. Even Martin Luther used a German version of the insult, “Mehl im Maule Behalten.” Luther, in fact, was quite experienced at tossing out creative jabs, and...
The slang threat “I’ll butter your necktie!” was made famous by the 1950 film Harvey. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “I’ll Butter Your Necktie!” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hello, my name is Clay. I’m calling from Dallas...
Before you insult a man, try walking a mile in his shoes. That way, when you insult him, you’re a mile away –and, you have his shoes. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “A Mile in Someone’s Shoes” We’ve talked before about...
In need of a creative insult? There’s always “When I’m done with you, there won’t be enough left of you to snore.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Enough Left to Snore” We’ve talked before about threats that are sort of...
Dorothy Parker, known for her acerbic wit, was once described as “a stiletto made of sugar.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Stiletto Made of Sugar” My reading this week has been finding insults from one writer about another. Oh...
The idiom and the horse you rode in on, usually preceded by a far more unfriendly phrase, tends to be directed at someone who’s full of himself and unwelcome to boot. It first pops up in the 1950s, and it’s written on the spine of a book in Donald...