An ailurophile from Dallas, Texas, wrote us to say her cat has a hobby of poking around in the closet and finding hidden nooks to nap in, or as she calls it, closeteering. That’s also a great term for generally digging around in the closet for stuff...
Those soft felt hats that folks like the man on the Quaker oatmeal box wear? They’re called wide-awakes. The etymology of this term is actually a pun—a reference to the fact that they’re made from smooth material that has no nap, a soft, fuzzy...
Is it incorrect to say “I could use a drink” rather than “I want a drink”? A California man says his Italian partner claims this use of use is incorrect. It may be a verbal crutch, but it’s still correct English. This is part of a complete episode...
Iberian yoga n. jocularly, the siesta or afternoon nap. Etymological Note: Usually credited as being coined in Castillian Spanish as “yoga ibérico” by Camilo José Cela. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Iberian yoga n.— «Spaniards persist in enjoying an afternoon snooze whenever they get the chance, in defiance of efforts to shorten Spain’s working day and match its idiosyncratic hours with the rest of Europe. Now, rather than dismiss the...
high-speed overnight n.— «If you do not have at least 8 hours off between duty periods then it’s not rest, it’s duty, so you’d stay on duty all night long (even if you happen to go to a hotel for a few of those hours). This is referred to as a...
