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...
Whitney from Memphis, Tennessee, is curious about the origin of the phrase to beat the band, which describes something happening in forceful or energetic way. Although the origins of this Americanism are murky, it may refer to a time when every...
When two people can’t gee-haw together, it means they don’t get along. The terms gee-haw, or gee and haw, come from farming, where a trained animal obeys a command to go left or right–to gee or haw, in other words. Noncompliant animals don’t gee-haw...
adulticiding n.— «The Memphis and Shelby County Health Department will begin spraying for mosquitoes June 22. The practice, known as adulticiding, is designed to prevent potential outbreaks of the west nile virus.» —“Mosquito Spraying Begins in...
bagel n.— «Burak’s dog Memphis, a beagle-basset hound cross (or a bagel, as they are called) and for whom the store is named—drags a blanket in his mouth on the hardwood floor.» —“James North comes in from the cold” by Jon Wells Hamilton...
whip-out n.— «Fred Smith, founder and chief executive officer of Memphis-based Federal Express, is the name that comes to everyone’s lips when asked what advantage the city has in the race for an NFL expansion team. “Fred has said, ’I’ll tote the...