parachuting n.— «Consequently, they engage in a dangerous practice—known as parachuting—whereby they defecate in plastic (lada) bags and throw them into the large uncovered drains which run through several sections of the community...
obesogen n.— «One key researcher in the field, Bruce Blumberg of the University of California, Irvine, has even coined a new word for chemicals that can make you fat: Obesogens.» —“Is plastic making us fat?” by Is plastic...
Get out your plastic utensils and pull up a folding chair! A caller’s question about the origin of the word potluck stirs up mouthwatering memories of crispy fried chicken, warm peach cobbler, and Jell-O salad with marshmallows. Okay, the Jell...
In this episode, Grant offers a peek at some expressions he’s nominating for the American Dialect Society’s 2007 Word of the Year vote in January, 2008. Will it be w00t, subprime, or something else? You can also check out Grant’s...
purple drank n.— «“Half these dudes dropped out of junior high,” he said, pointing to several friends standing with him sipping from plastic foam cups of “Purple Drank,” a brain-battering draft of prescription-strength codeine cough syrup...
photodegrade v.—Gloss: (of plastics and polymers) to breakdown when exposed to sunlight. Note: A more technical definition of photodegradation is here. «Plastic bags don’t biodegrade. They only break down into tiny toxic little bits that...