Karen in Memphis, Tennessee, says that when she looks disheveled or otherwise unfashionable, her Canadian mother says that she looks like a rig and a half. In Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and Labrador, Canada, the word rig means “an eccentric, odd, or...
Debbie from Memphis, Tennessee, grew up in Arkansas, where she learned the term trade-last, which refers to “a quoted compliment offered in return for the recipient first offering one to the speaker.” Although those from the American South may...
The term no-see-ums refers to those pesky gnats that come out in the heat and humidity and are so tiny they’re almost invisible. The term goes back at least as far as the 1830s, and is heard particularly in the Northeastern United States. This is...
Knoxvegas n.— «The city, the third largest in Tennessee behind Nashville and Memphis, is also referred to as Knoxpatch, Knoxvegas and for those prone to irony and finger pistols, K-town, baby.» —“36 Hours in Knoxville” by Allison Glock in...
deep bench n.— «But then there’s his sister Ophelia, who took his place. “She’s probably not going to be there very long, but the Ford’s have a deep bench as they say in sports.” Joe Ford has an unscathed reputation as a Shelby County Commissioner...
stub v.— «When their streets reach the edge of the new development, construction is halted (or stubbed, in the parlance of the trade), awaiting further extension to occur when the adjacent property is developed.» —“Road plan reality: We’re all in...
