Does the expression to harp on, as in “to nag,” have anything to do with the stringed instrument one plays by plucking? Yes! As early as the 16th century to harp all of one string meant to keep playing the same single note monotonously. This is part...
The idiom thrown for a loop most likely derives from boxing and the image of someone knocked head over heels. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Origin of “Thrown for a Loop”” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, Martha. Hi, Grant...
Ben, who grew up near Pittsburgh and now lives in Olympia, Washington, grew up saying redd up for straightening a messy room, not so much deep cleaning it. The verb redd means to pick up, tidy up, or clear out, as in gathering books, putting away...
What do you call tourists in your hometown? In New England, they have leaf-peepers. In Wisconsin, it’s berry-pickers or shackers, as in “people who rent cottages.” Coastal areas have pukers, a reference to people who charter boats but then can’t...
Martha shares a listener’s email about a pet’s name changing over time. In this case, it’s a cat whose name morphed from “Orange Juice” all the way to “Lanny.” Martha traces the con-cat-enation of monikers. This is part of a complete episode...
