If you want to describe people who have an overly high opinion of themselves, here’s some handy Spanish slang: In Argentina, you might describe such a person as Tarzán de maceta, or “Tarzan of the flowerpot.” You might also call them a Yeti de...
Looking for a book to read with the kids, or maybe a guide to becoming a better writer? Why are leg cramps called charley horses? And where’d we get a phrase like pie in the sky? If you happen to be tall, you’ve no doubt heard plenty of clueless...
Do you flesh out a plan or flush out a plan? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Flesh Out vs. Flush Out” Hi, you have A Way with Words. Hi, this is Karen from San Diego. Hi, Karen. Hi, Karen. How are you doing? Hi, good. Thank you...
Welcome to another newsletter from "A Way with Words"! Where the heck have we been? Working on a brand-new season, that's where. It starts this coming weekend. That's right--brand-new episodes, chock full of languagey goodness...
paper daisy n.— «Rangers have the unenviable task of picking up what they euphemistically call “paper daisies”—pieces of toilet paper left to blow around. Some people don’t even bury it.» —“Fraser Island a big toilet because of camping” by Brian...
urine diversion toilet n.— «There, up a few steps on a tiled platform, sat a toilet unlike any I’d seen. Its pan was divided in two: solid waste went in the back, and the front compartment collected urine. The liquids and solids can, after a decent...