In an earlier episode, the director of a women’s choir in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, wondered what to call it when her group gathers to sing together for the sheer joy of it. Listeners responded with many suggestions, including songfest, enchanted...
Ali in Toronto, Canada, wonders about the expression to give or have a leg up, meaning “to be a step ahead of everyone.” The phrase comes from the idea of providing assistance to someone getting up into a saddle. A similar expression is to give a...
A Toronto, Canada, caller wonders how a notice that an employee is being fired ever came to be known as a pink slip. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Employee Pink Slip” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hello, this is Claude from...
While in Canada, Jami Attenberg, author of The Middlesteins, encountered the term keener, meaning “enthusiast.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Keener” The writer Jamie Attenberg mentioned a word on Facebook that I don’t think...
Dipper n.— «My exquisite pleasure as a Liberal party man who barely knew a Tory or “Dipper” (as we called NDPers) was to work with people from organized labour, Liberals, Conservatives, ad people and NDPers all in a glorious coalition united in our...
Twaggot
n.—Gloss: An overtly homosexual male user of Twitter.com. Note: Twitter + faggot «Twaggot please. Maybe the new king of eyeliner.» —by Bruce LaBruce in Toronto, Canada Twitter.com June 26, 2009. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)