Welcome to another newsletter from A Way with Words. This past weekend we gave another airing to our episode about crossword puzzles. This is the one in which we talked about whether it should be "driver license," "drivers'...
computon n.—Gloss: in information technology, a measure of power or capacity of devices or systems such as storage, networks, or computer processors. Note: The more common spelling is “computron.” «A computon is a measurement...
jacket n.—Gloss: Richard Allsopp’s Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage defines this as “the child of a married woman and a man who is not her hustband” or “any child whose paternity is denied.” Note: The term is...
vampire tap n.— «I had not heard of this usage regarding power consumption until this thread, however “vampire tap” in electronic parlance refers to a piercing type of cable connector, most often a coaxial connector used in...
dining sleeve n.— «I also like the idea of not using paper napkins, which happen to be made from virgin wood and represent the height of wastefulness. I have designed a clothing line that has what’s called a “dining sleeve.”...
fart in a mitten n.— «Here’s a saying I had previously only encountered within my family, particularly my grandparents who grew up in Southern Indiana. The usage I am familiar with always conveyed restlessness, frenetic energy. “You...