Brian in San Antonio, Texas, wonders about the origin of the pinking in the term pinking shears. Such shears cut an even, zigzag pattern that keeps cloth from fraying at the edges. Pinking likely comes from French piquer, meaning to “pierce” or “stick,” the source also of English piquant, “stinging” pique, which can mean a feeling of pierced or wounded pride. Pinking is also be related to Spanish picar, meaning “sting” or “prick,” the source of picante, or “spicy.” In the 16th century, to pink cloth meant to “poke decorative holes” in it, and by the 19th century, a pinking iron was used to apply decorative elements to cloth. In 1893, Louise Austin of Whatcom, Washington, received a patent for pinking shears. This is part of a complete episode.
When you’re talking about the location of an inanimate object, is it okay to say that it lives there, as in The peanut butter lives in that cabinet or The flashlight lives on that shelf? Strictly speaking, of course, that object isn’t...
Sean in Oneonta, New York, says that when he was growing up in New Jersey, his family would pile in the car and set off on a surprise adventure, whether a short distance or long, and the kids would be told only that they were going on Buxtehude...
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