Andrew in Omaha, Nebraska, says his Italian-American grandfather, who grew up in the city’s Little Italy, uses george for something exceptionally good, especially food, and double george for something really great. Slang George goes back to the...
When you say, “I’ll get a ride with Pat and Charlie” or “I’m going to go with Pat and Charlie,” you’re talking about walking somewhere. Other colloquial ways to describe traveling on foot include getting...
The terms mickey mouse and to mickey mouse can be used as pejoratives. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Mickey Mouse as a Pejorative” Hi, you have A Way with Words. Hi, yes, how are you? My name is Timothy Wong, and hi...
Jerry from New York City is annoyed that clerks in his local drug store and coffee shop baristas refer to him not as a customer, or a patron, but as a guest. He thinks guest sounds contrived, and should be reserved for hoteliers and the like. Well...
Ready for some crazy crossword clues? The hosts discuss some clever ones, like “hula hoop?” (3 letters). Also, is the correct term jury-rigged or jerry-rigged? Why are Marines called gyrenes? When someone points out the obvious, do you...
Jury-rigged is the older form for a makeshift repair, likely from nautical jury mast, an emergency mast rigged when the real one was lost or broken. Sean in Michigan has also heard jerry-rigged and, from an IT co-worker, Gary-rigged. The jerry...