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Remember a few years ago when Amazon introduced that mysterious device called a Kindle? People worried that electronic readers would replace traditional books. Turns out the death of the hardcover was greatly exaggerated. Also, the expression...
In Chicano English, the word barely, which traditionally means “just happened,” can also mean “almost didn’t happen,” as in “I just barely got here.” This locution apparently reflects the fact that in...
If English isn’t your first language, there are lots of ways to learn it, such as memorizing Barack Obama’s speech to the 2004 Democratic Convention. Martha and Grant talk about some of the unusual ways foreigners are learning to speak...
mowing the lawn n.— «Maritime patrol planes fly a grid pattern over the search area, guided by GPS. They fly in parallel swaths over the ocean, in a process that pilots refer to as “mowing the lawn.” Flying at an altitude of...
wall tattoo n.— «Stencils have come a long way from childhood designs. Often referred to as wall tattoos, stencils can be used as borders or create an overall pattern on a wall.» —“A little paint + a lot of patience a new...
pop a crowd v. phr.— «“If you go to enough of these shows and meet enough of these guys, a pattern emerges,” Siegel says. “In wrestling parlance, they would say they love “popping a crowd”—getting fans off. It’s...