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Episode 1467

Steamed Bun

This week: Do you ever find yourself less-than-specific about your age? Listeners share some of their favorite phrases for fudging that number, like: “Oh, I’m 29, plus shipping and handling.” Also in this episode: • Since ancient...

Jeep Name Origins

A listener in Ypsilanti, Michigan, wonders how the Army vehicle called a jeep got its name. Answer: It was associated with Eugene the Jeep, a strange creature from the 1930s comic strip, Popeye. Lexicographers and etymologists find no evidence to...

Language Headlines (minicast)

Grant dishes up the latest language headlines from around the world, including names so weird they sparked legal action. Two New Zealand parents really did name their daughter “Talula Does the Hula From Hawaii.” Also, what’s wrong...

toy hauler

toy hauler  n.— «A good number of the units on display were of a style that didn’t even exist a few years ago. That would be the “sport utility trailer,” more commonly known as the “toy hauler.” A SUT is a travel...

petbull

petbull  n.— «Pit bull enthusiasts, who sometimes refer to the dogs as “petbulls,” devote Web sites to changing perceptions about the animal. They note that one of the most beloved dogs of television and film fame—Petey of...

jerk patrol

jerk patrol  n.— «It allows Duck fans to call a special line—what some college and pro stadiums refer to as the “jerk patrol”—to report incidents of misbehavior.» —“Victory sure is swHEAT” by Mark...