A listener in Omaha, Nebraska, says his mother always ends a phone conversation not with Goodbye, but mmm-bye. How common is that? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Mmm-Bye” Hi, you have A Way with Words. Hello. My name is Chad...
Since the 1950’s, the term think tank has meant “a research institute.” But even earlier than that, going as far back as the 1880’s, think tank referred “a person’s mind.” Another slang term for one’s mind is thought box. This is part of a complete...
“Let’s blow this popsicle stand” is an adaptation of “Let’s blow this pop stand,” meaning to leave a place, and in a way that’s showy. Think Marlon Brando in The Wild One. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Blow This Pop Stand”...
It’s hard enough to get a new word into the dictionary. But what happens when lawmakers get involved? New Jersey legislators passed a resolution as part of an anti-bullying campaign urging dictionary companies to adopt the word upstander. It means...
What’s the difference between the words kind and nice? It’s perhaps best described as the difference between demeanor and behavior. Being nice refers to how you appear to be, whereas kindness refers to how you act, and what you do for others. This...
One listener’s term, tee-ella-berta, is among hundreds of euphemisms for the derriere, including tee-hiney, tee-hineyboo, and tee-hinder. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Tee-Ella-Berta” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hello...