Don’t capitalize names of seasons unless they’re part of a proper noun, such as Summer Olympics or Spring Formal. Unlike the names of months and days of the week, seasons aren’t eponymous, meaning they don’t derive from...
Right off the bat, it’s easy to think of several everyday expressions that derive from America’s pastime–including “right off the bat.” The Dickson Baseball Dictionary catalogues not only those contributions but also...
To boot has nothing to do with footwear or an extra kick. Darla in Memphis, Tennessee, asks about the phrase. It goes back to Old English bot, meaning advantage, remedy, or a good thing, and is linguistically related to better and best. Today it...
The a historian vs. an historian debate has a pretty straightforward answer: a historian is the correct way to write and say it. “A history” and “a historical” are the best choices, too. This is part of a complete episode...
Lyricists take note: sweven is another term for a dream, which should come in handy when looking for words that rhyme with heaven, eleven, Devin, or leaven. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Sweven” I came across a...
Broken pieces of pottery, commonly known as shards, are also referred to as sherds by professional archaeologists. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Shards and Sherds” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is Ben...