Wayne in Sherman, Texas, wonders how the term pear-shaped came to describe something that’s gone badly. The expression seems to have arisen during the Falklands War of the early 1980s. If you need a word for pear-shaped, there’s always pyriform...
Tracy from Sherman, Texas, wonders why her dad always used cabbage as a verb to mean “to pilfer or swipe.” This term goes back to at least the 18th century, when the verb to cabbage had to do with employee theft. Specifically, it...
If a fellow thinks he’s a cooler than he really is, he’d be known in the South as a dirt road sport. This term’s been defined as “a country boy showing off in a Saturday afternoon town,” and refers to someone reaching...
What does it mean to have your tail over the dashboard? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Tail Over the Dashboard” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hi, my name is Kathleen Elberson, and I’m calling from Grayson...