Did you ever wonder why we capitalize the pronoun “I,” but not any other pronoun? Also, the romantic story behind the term halcyon days, the origin of the phrase “like white on rice,” and the linguistic scuttlebutt on the...
Is it time to replace the expression “the mentally ill”? Some argue the term unfairly stigmatizes a broad range of people. Also, the winter sport of… skitching, which involves snowy roads, leather shoes — and car bumpers...
open winter n.— «This was partly because Leavenworth was enjoying an “open winter”—meaning the severe weather had relented often enough on weekends to grant safe passage to tourists traveling east from Seattle.» —“In the Ruins of a...
q school n.— «After graduating from Yale, Lee spent the next two years playing on the Futures Tour—the equivalent of baseball’s minor leagues. Lee was then invited this past winter to enter qualifying school—or “Q School” as it is known...
hoarding n.— «The platform in question was partially draped by a large orange tarp, a technique known as “hoarding,” Hauser said. It’s a common and accepted way to shelter workers from the elements when working in winter...
nuclear winter n.—Gloss: A period in which investment capital is very hard to come by. «I invest in Silicon Valley companies. In 2001-2004 there was a nuclear winter for deal flow dried up almost 100%. Lots of people going back to...