How did the word gay go from meaning lighthearted to homosexual? Also, why are elementary schools sometimes called grammar schools? Plus, imeldific, gone pecan, random Scrabble words, and the difference between borrow and lend. And the etiquette of...
Mary, from Royal Oaks, Michigan, says she once confused a friend by offering to relieve her of snow shoveling duties with the question, “Can I spell you?” This usage of spell, which refers to substituting for a period of time, has been...
bagel v.—Gloss: To score no points. Note: The noun “bagel” has long been used in tennis and other sports to mean “zero.” «As usual after a defeat, Venus was tight-lipped, offering platitudes but no explanation as...
shiprider n.— «It’s just one of many possible dilemmas facing an increasing number of private security companies who offer armed escorts—known in the industry as “shipriders”—from Somali pirates. The few companies that have...
wall-cross v.— «Wells Fargo wanted to be among one of the first banks to get to the market before fund managers and investors became overwhelmed by the supply of stock. Being first also carried the risk that the offering could be too big...
Obamanomics n.— «The key for Republicans […] is to offer not only opposition to Obamanomics but alternatives as well—but those alternatives needs to sound like something other than the Bush agenda redux, or else there’s no point in...
