In the military, if you’ve lost the bubble, then you can’t find your bearings. The term first referred to calibrating the position of aircraft and submarines. • The phrase the coast is clear may originate in watching for invaders...
A young woman wants a family-friendly way to describe a statement that’s fraudulent or bogus, but all the words she can think of sound old-fashioned. Is there a better term than malarkey, poppycock, or rubbish? Also, listeners step up to help...
Two-hander is theater jargon for a play that features just two people. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Two-Hander” Hi, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is Brian from Dallas calling. Hello, Brian. Welcome. Hi, Brian...
To lose the bubble means “to lose track” or “lose one’s bearings,” and refers to the bubble in an inclinometer on an airplane or ship, much like the bubble in a carpenter’s level. It’s described in detail in...
The word clean, as in clean food, has taken on a whole new life as a buzzword describing food free of artificial ingredients, preservatives, or added color. A restaurant chain now boasts clean sandwiches, and the topic is now covered by the magazine...
Why do we describe something that’s genuine or authentic as the real McCoy? It has nothing to do with trains or an inventor! This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “The True Origins of “the Real McCoy””...