Janine in Charleston, South Carolina, is curious about the derogatory term feather merchant. In the mid-20th century feather merchant was used among members of the military to mean “a weakling,” or “a shirker.” This is part...
A lagniappe is a little something extra that a merchant might toss in for a customer, like a complimentary ball-point pen. What’s the origin of that word? This is part of a complete episode.
Someone who’s extremely busy may be said to be “busier than a cranberry merchant.” What is it that keeps cranberry merchants so busy, anyway? This is part of a complete episode.
ratchet n.— «As another employee approached with the bat, the man left and said, “I’ll be back before you close and next time I’m coming through with the ratchet,” which the employees understood as slang for a handgun...
shoobie n.— «It’s not the people, perhaps, that we’re so concerned about who start fishing in March or April and continue to fish into late November, Rather, it’s the little folks, “shoobies” as we refer to them, who perhaps...
refi n.— «If you look elsewhere in the world, house prices rise, consumers then draw more on their bonds, they do “refis” as they call them in the United States.» —“Rudolf Gouws: Chief economist, Rand Merchant...