David, a rideshare driver in Virginia Beach, Virginia, wonders about all the residential developments he sees with names containing the word quay. Usually pronounced KEE, quay is another term for “wharf.” The use of quay in these names may involve...
Andrew from Annandale, Virginia, asks about the origin of the word boondoggle. Why does it mean a wasteful project or plain old busywork, but also denotes a kind of leathercraft lanyard made at camp? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...
Lisa from Chesapeake, Virginia, says her father used to say good googly moogly! to express surprise, delight, or emphasis. There are several versions of this exclamation, which derives from a catchphrase used by radio DJs in the 1940s and 1950s...
Joseph from Wilson, Wyoming, wonders: Why is subpar, or in other words under par, a good thing in golf but nowhere else? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Subpar vs. Under Par” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hello, this is Joseph...
A New York City listener wonders about the origin and literal meaning of the phrase catch you on the flip side. It’s a reference to the B side of vinyl records. It was popularized as part of truckers’ CB lingo in the 1970s. This is part of a...
Quiz Guy John Chaneski has a double stuff puzzle in which each answer consists of two rhyming words with two syllables each. For example, what would you call food provided by God for your grandmother? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript...
