A listener shares a family expression to quiet kids down so the parents can speak. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Irish Miser Saying” Here’s another one of the Irish proverbs from 1813. This is about somebody who’s cheap, a miser...
What does it mean to be lousy with, as in “She was lousy with diamonds”? Lousy comes from the English word louse, as in lice. To be lousy with means “to have lots of something”—originally lice, then anything else. This is part of a complete episode...
Here’s a variant of a phrase that’s familiar to many African-Americans, but virtually unknown to most others: “I’m so broke I couldn’t buy a louse a wrestling jacket.” What’s its meaning and origin? It’s also heard “buy a flea a wrestling jacket” or...
