During introductory class at Sky Falconry in the mountains outside San Diego, California,, Martha learned the term feaking, the action of a hawk wiping its bill on something to sharpen or clean it. Feak may derive from an old German word meaning...
What’s your choice for the 2011 word of the year? Grant shares some of his picks. Speaking of picks, why do football commentators seem to love the term pick-six? Also, great quotations from writers, the meaning of such Briticisms as cheeky and...
What’s Lady Macbeth talking about when she urges Macbeth to “screw your courage to the sticking point”? This image of mustering up bravery most likely has to do with tightening the strings of a crossbow. This is part of a complete...
Martha muses about the language of falconry, and in the process, reveals the origins of several words and phrases in one fell swoop.