Oenophiles are known for their evocative writing about wine, but that’s also true for sophisticated bourbon lovers. Some sensuous tasting notes from bourbon expert Susan Reigler from American Whiskey magazine serve as a case in point. This is part...
Lachryphagy is literally “tear-eating,” and refers to the way some insects crawl up to the eyes of much larger animals to sip their protein-rich tears. The name of the wine Lachryma Christi means “tear of Christ,” and someone tearful is said to be...
A South Carolina teen calls to ask why the English language has a word meaning “to throw someone out of a window,” but no word for “the day after tomorrow.” The word defenestrate, from Latin fenestra, “window,” was coined in the 17th century...
What did the grapes say when the elephant stepped on them? Apologies in advance for the answer. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “In a Ferment Over Another Punny Riddle” What did the grapes say when the elephants stepped on them...
Erin in Austin, Texas, wants to know: Why do we say two people in contentious disagreement are at loggerheads? This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “What Does “Loggerheads” Mean?” Hello, you have A Way with Words. Hello, this is Erin...
The word vintage, from the Latin word vinum “wine,” originally applied to the yield of vineyard during a specific season or a particular place. Over time, vintage came to be applied to automobiles and eventually to clothing. The term vintage...
