Turkey vultures spotted on a hike in San Diego’s Mission Trails Regional Park lead to a small feast of collective nouns for turkey vultures. A group in a tree can be a committee, a venue, or a volt. In flight, it’s a kettle, and when feasting on...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...