TagRain

Virga

No need to ask your doctor about virga. That’s just the term for β€œa diagonal streak of rain that evaporates before it hits the ground.” It derives from the Latin for β€œrod,” and is related to virgule, a fancy name for that punctuation mark otherwise...

Raining Cats and Dogs

Get out your umbrellas β€” it’s raining pitchforks and … bullfrogs? This week, it’s odd expressions that mean β€œa heavy downpour.” Also, holistic vs. wholistic, recurrence vs. reoccurrence, flash drive vs. thumb drive, whether it’s good or bad to be...

Bumbershoots

Rihanna’s hit β€œUmbrella” may not have had the same ring if she’d referred to being β€œunder my bumbershoot.” Nonetheless, bumbershoot, bumberell, brolly, and bumbersol, among others, are all

Free Reign vs. Free Rein

Is it free reign or free rein? Ruling or riding? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of β€œFree Reign vs. Free Rein” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is David in Glen Arbor, Michigan. I have a question for you. All right. My...