Martha tries to unravel the tangled etymological web that connects gossamer, spiders, geese, and warm weather in a late autumn.
bomber’s moon n.— «When the novel opens, Harriet is atop Coventry’s cathedral watching for fires. Jeremy is on another part of the roof, and both are at the mercy of a bright, full moon, commonly called a bomber’s moon. It soon becomes...
skeet-shooting n.— «A special technique, known as “skeet-shooting,” was developed by controllers to cancel out the high speed of the moon relative to Cassini and also help obtain ultra-sharp views as the spacecraft sped past...
wedding moon n.— «The resort offers a deal to those who are about to be married—guests who stay five night or longer are treated to a free wedding. Reynolds has also planned “wedding moons,” as she calls them, in Cozumel, Mexico; Hawaii...
complication n.— «Yes, knobs. Otherwise known as complications, they control everything from a stopwatch accurate to a zillionth of a second, to displaying the phases of the moon, your altitude, and the efficacy of your golf swing. It is...
moon n.— «Then I straightened out the front wheels, somehow managing to keep the Zamboni from coming to an ice-melting dead stop.…Nodding shamefully, I quit my showboating and refocused my attention on driving. I made 10 more passes...