Zack, a railroad conductor in Omaha, Nebraska, wonders about a bit of jargon from his profession: tie up, meaning to “clock out,” or “leave work,” as in What time did you guys tie up yesterday? This usage is referenced in The Railway and Locomotive...
Quiz Guy John Chaneski has a quiz about the ties that bind various sets of three words. For example, what do essay, excess, and decay have in common? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “The Ties That Bind Quiz” You’re listening to A...
Careful what you criticize! Not long ago, some words that sound perfectly normal today were considered gauche and grating on the ear. If the complainers had had their way, we couldn’t say a word like pessimism or use contact as a verb! Also, we’ll...
bulldogging n.— «Considering the sheep are ovine, not canine, it is ironic that the term for this type of capture is “bulldogging.”…Cornelius said the key to bulldogging was to get as close as possible one or two metres above the sheep and steer...
beer tie n.— «Talk to pub landlords and one of the most insistent complaints is something called the “beer tie.” It means that not only must they pay rent to the PubCo that owns their premises—they must buy all their beer from them, too.» —“The...
A caller has a friendly disagreement with a pal: Is the expression “tide me over” or “tie me over”? Hint: The answer she gets should tide her over. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Is the Saying “Tide Me Over” or “Tie Me Over”?”...
