A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, listener says when he was growing up, his family used the word schmutz as a verb. For example, when one parent reminded the other to apply sunscreen to the youngsters, they might say Make sure you schmutz the kids...
A Dallas, Texas, listener wonders if his family made up the term gradoo, meaning “grime” or “schmutz.” It’s definitely more widespread than that and may derive from a French term. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Gradoo or Gradu”...
What do you call those slobber marks that dogs leave on the inside of car windows? Some of our favorites are woofmarks, dog schmear, and snot kisses. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Dog Marks” Hello, you have A Way with Words...
schmutzdecke n. a naturally occurring gelatinous layer of living biological matter on a sand-based water filter, for which it provides additional filtration. Editorial Note: Occasionally spelled in English as “schmutzedecke” or “smutzdecke.”...