If you vouch for something, you guarantee that what you’re saying is true. In the early 14th century, vouch was a transitive verb that meant “to summon into court to prove a title.” Vouch was adapted into English from an Old French...
Puzzle Person John Chaneski proffers problems pertaining to the letter P. What alliterative term, for example, also means “wet blanket”? This is part of a complete episode.
What’s so special about the phrase Sit on a pan, Otis? It’s an example of a palindrome — a word or phrase that’s spelled the same backwards as it is forwards. This year’s contest known as the Oscars of the palindrome...
Which is correct: several persons or several people? The word persons tends to be used in corporate, legalese contexts, and people is the more natural term. This is part of a complete episode.
Is it okay to say the person that did it, or should you say the person who did it? Both are fine, although who is probably preferable in that it acknowledges that person’s humanity. This is part of a complete episode.
It’s a common superstition: do not split a pole. That is, if two people are walking down the street, they shouldn’t each walk around a different side of a lamppost, telephone pole, or mailbox. But if they do, there’s a remedy: just...