Kathy from Huntsville, Alabama, remembers that her father would entice guests to stay awhile longer with the puzzling phrase We’re fixing to open up a keg of nails. Actually, the keg of nails in this case is a jocular euphemism referencing a...
If you’re taking the dog for a walk, be sure to talk along a plastic bag to pick up any barker’s eggs. This is part of a complete episode.
To be like Ned in the primer, meaning “troublesome” or “rambunctious,” refers to an old series of children’s books—also known as primers—about Ned and Nancy, a mischievous boy and a straitlaced girl. This is part of a...
Which is correct: use or utilize? The answer depends on the context. The word utilize carries an additional shade of meaning, suggesting that you’re using something in a way it’s not ordinarily employed. For example, you would use a...
Many teachers aren’t crazy about cornergami. That’s what you’ve committed if you’ve ever been without a stapler and folded over the corners of a multipage paper to keep them attached. This is part of a complete episode.
Is there a term for the way words feel when they’re spoken that has nothing to do with their meaning? The word “suitcase” feels nice to say, unlike rural. “Cellar door” certainly has a different quality than...