To take umbrage means to take offense or be annoyed at something. It comes from the Latin umbra, meaning “shadow,” as in umbrella. So to take umbrage is to sense something shady, or suspect that one has been slighted. This is part of a...
Rihanna’s hit “Umbrella” may not have had the same ring if she’d referred to being “under my bumbershoot.” Nonetheless, bumbershoot, bumberell, brolly, and bumbersol, among others, are all
The year 2008 produced a new acronym: PUMA. Grant explains how PUMAs began prowling the political landscape.
umbrella film n.— «Traditionally blockbuster and sequel films, or as they are called in the industry “umbrella films,” are planned to make the majority of profit for a company. These films are usually released during summer...
third shift n.— «The simplest and most dramatic form of the problem is something that Asia-based investigators jocularly refer to as the “third shift,” the “midnight shift,” or the “ghost shift. Say a U.S...
sun break n.— «My son and his family arrived in Seattle in July and luckily got exposed to the city’s summer sunshine. They are now adjusting to its rainy season, meaning you put on your raincoat, unfurl you umbrella and keep going...