Suppose you take off your sandals and then carry them while holding the straps in your hand. In that case, is it correct to call those straps handles? Phil in Omaha, Nebraska, has a longstanding dispute with a friend over that question. You might...
The painful condition called shingles takes its name from Latin cingulum, meaning belt, because the inflammation often appears as a belt-like band around the torso. The Latin root of cingulum, cingere, meaning “to gird,” is also the source of cinch...
In the 19th century, the slang term door-knocker referred to a beard-and-mustache combo that ringed the mouth in the shape of a metal ring used to tap on a door. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Door-Knocker Beard”...
strap hanging n.— «Usually the truck drivers wait at the opening of the valley for a U.S. Army patrol to pass and then they follow it, a practice soldiers have dubbed “strap hanging.” Lining the sides of the road are the...
geek strap n.— «“I myself use a ‘geek strap,’” Ambelang said. “It’s good preventative maintenance for keeping your clothes intact.” A “geek strap,” as Ambelang calls it, is a lower-leg guard specifically designed to prevent shredded...
container syndrome n.— «It’s a controversial theory, but a vocal contingent of doctors and physical therapists believe the strap-in chairs and carriers that millions of parents have come to rely on are contributing to an increase in cases...