Beth in Spring Hill, Tennessee, grew up saying bedroom suite and was startled to hear bedroom suit in Georgia and Tennessee. Both forms can mean a matching group of bedroom furniture. Bedroom suit is especially associated with the American South...
Judson from Texas asks about the phrases long suit and strong suit, after seeing long suit used where he would expect “strong suit.” Both come from card games such as bridge and whist: a long suit is a hand with several cards of the same suit, while...
Brian from San Diego wonders whether forte, meaning a strength or strong point, should be pronounced as one syllable, “fort,” or two, “for-tay.” The word is skunked: sticklers may object to the common two-syllable pronunciation, but most speakers...
Quiz Guy Greg Pliska has a puzzle in which participants try to guess a word that could logically go before or after each of a trio of words. For example, if the three words are “nest,” “calories,” and “suit,” the...
Pennsylvania tuxedo n.— «To deer hunters in Pennsylvania and beyond, it introduced the Classic Hunt Coat. Combined with matching snow pants—in open black-on-deep-cherry-red “Heritage Plaid”—it was the uniform of the day for those pursuing...
yowie suit n. a shaggy camouflage coverall or clothing outfit, also known as a ghillie suit. Editorial Note: Occasionally just yowie, especially in attributive uses. Here’s a good picture of a yowie suit. Etymological Note: The suit is said to...