non’trée n.— «Bay Area waiters have a nickname for many of their customers these days: the non’trée. Non’trée (pronounced “non-tray”) refers to the folks who order appetizers rather than a pricier entree—a popular practice in...
dumbpipe n.— «The carriers picked up the unflattering nickname “dumbpipes,” underscoring their strict noninterference in the Internet traffic surging over their networks. The name heightened resentment among the carriers...
Do you spend so much quality time with your computer that you’ve given it an affectionate name? What is it about inanimate objects—particularly technological gadgets—that inspires us to give them special nicknames? Martha raises these...
Ahoy, mateys, and welcome aboard another newsletter from A Way with Words! We are delighted to welcome our new listeners from KTOO in Juneau, Alaska, and WCAI, in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The smell of leather-bound books and printer's ink is...
disco rice n.— «STEREOGUM: You mentioned that you learned “disco rice” is a term for maggots. Any idea how “disco rice” got its name? And why didn’t you ever name a band “disco rice”? NH: I really have...
drop a pickle v. phr.— «He got his nickname, “Split,” when he went to a party shortly after his wife gave birth to their first child. Dropping a bomb and having a child are both referred to as “dropping a pickle”...