If you’re dressed to kill, you’re looking sharp. But does the expression have to do with medieval chivalry or military armor of any kind? Nope. The earliest cases pop up in text in the 1800s, based on the trend of adding the words to...
Yes, the k in knot, know, knife, and knight was once pronounced. Alvaro in Dallas wonders about that silent first letter. The change is an example of apheresis, the loss of an initial sound. Old English had a pronounced initial consonant in words...
Rennie n.— «Such devotion is common among “Rennies” or “playtrons,” as the most serious Renaissance-obsessed merrymakers call themselves. Many have attended the festival for decades—sometimes traveling great...
wikigroaning n.— «First, find a useful Wikipedia article that normal people might read. For example, the article called “Knight.” Then, find a somehow similar article that is longer, but at the same time, useless to a very...
email bankruptcy n.— «Is there such a thing as email bankruptcy so you can start clean and not owe anyone anything anymore?» —“Re: PING Tuesday” by Tuesday Knight Usenet: alt.religion.wicca Oct. 22, 2003...
Phrog n.— «With protruding side wheels and a nose-up attitude on the ground, the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter has the appearance of a frog ready to hop—some would say it certainly does, especially when moving forward on the deck. Since the...