A hike in San Diego’s Mission Trails Regional Park has Martha pondering terms for turkey vultures. A flock of vultures in flight is called a kettle, a committee, or a volt, while a group of vultures feeding on carrion is called a wake. This is part...
If something’s larrupin’ good, it’s spankin’ good or thumpin’ good. It comes from the word larrup, a verb meaning “to beat or thrash.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Larrupin'” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hello. Hi, who’s...
bush wife n.— «I met three rape victims—euphemistically called bush wives—in a priest’s home not far from the eastern Congolese town of Bunia.» —“Hillary’s Gutsy Mission” by Eliza Griswold Daily Beast Aug. 7, 2009. (source: Double-Tongued...
extinction n.— «But the thing is, as Natasha points out, the language of the slot machine industry belies its ultimate aims. There’s a term bandied about at the trade shows: “extinction.” We need to design for extinction, we need to reduce time-to...
grunter hunter n.—Gloss: a pig-hunter in Australia. «They call themselves “grunter hunters,” but the small army of Australians who spend their weekends stalking wild pigs through the bush are finding themselves increasingly outnumbered...
alleycat n.— «The Staten Island Invasion was a type of race known as an “alleycat,” a high-speed scavenger hunt that has become popular among messengers and bike enthusiasts around the country. Alleycats are like marathons for the anti-marathon...
