The die is cast has nothing to do with dye in water or a metal mold. The die is the singular of dice, and cast here means thrown, the older sense still found inside broadcast and podcast. Brian in Indianapolis ran into the phrase as the title of a...
Why do we say that someone finely attired is “dressed to the nines”? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Dressed to the Nines” Hi, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is Matt Voss. I’m calling from...
It’s the Moby Dick of etymology: Where do we get the phrase “the whole nine yards”? A pediatrician in North Carolina wonders if it derives from a World War II phrase involving “nine yards” of ammunition. Grant and...
