A New Zealander who relocated to Texas wonders why she grew up saying Mum, but people in the United States say Mom. This is part of a complete episode.
momshell n.—Gloss: An attractive mother. Note: mom + bombshell «Her boobs do look more full. Hmmm, could be that she’s no longer unhealthily skinny and that she’s had kids. Three cheers for the ultimate momshell!!!» —“Catherine Zeta...
Hockey mom, mavericky, snow machines, and—how could we forget that other memorable phrase from the 2008 presidential campaign?—lipstick on a pig. Some new and not-so-new terms leapt onto the national stage during Gov. Sarah Palin‘s run for the...
Hockey mom? Staycation? Recessionista? What’s your choice for Word of the Year 2008? Also, what expression do you use to describe when it’s raining but the sun is still shining?
hand-over-hand n.— «He seemed to like doing that too, even though to get him to paste the words on oak tag, the teacher had to use a technique called “hand-over-hand,” which is just about as discouraging as it sounds...
Finally, just in time for holiday get-togethers, Grant and Martha provide some linguistic family therapy to solve a mother-daughter conflict over whether nummy is a legitimate term. Mom says it’s perfect for describing a delicious meal, but...