The grandmother of a woman in Council Bluffs, Iowa, says tousled hair looks like a hoorah’s nest. Also spelled hurrah’s nest or hooraw’s nest, this means “an untidy mess” or “a commotion.” Its origin is...
A Way with Words is starting a brand-new season! Find out what a motorcyclist wears to keep from getting sunburned– is it a do-rag or a dew-rag? A listener wonders “Why is an undesirable task called a g-job?” Martha shares a trick...
A New York City schoolteacher asks, “Why do we call our little finger a pinkie?” and relates his invented etymology. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Pinkie, Little Finger, and Auricular: The Names Behind Your...