What’s up with ketchup? The shifting history and spelling of the name of this condiment. For centuries, ketchup was a fishy sauce originating in Asia—the tomatoes came only later! Plus, a new book shows what’s lost when a language dies: when there...
Jolly on the spot is a variant of Johnny on the spot, though the former is much less common. Both phrases refer to someone who’s right there when you need them and always ready to help. Older still is Charlie on the spot, used as early as 1805. The...
Gloria in Indianapolis wondered whether johnny-on-the-spot praises a helpful person or means a porta-potty after her sisters split over the phrase during a group photo. Both readings can collide. Johnny-on-the-spot, a helpful fellow who appears just...
Looking for a book to read with the kids, or maybe a guide to becoming a better writer? Why are leg cramps called charley horses? And where’d we get a phrase like pie in the sky? If you happen to be tall, you’ve no doubt heard plenty of...