by Kevin Burton Have I been snickering up my sleeve a bit as Merriam-Webster slings names at various miscreants? Well, what goes around, comes around. This is the third and final post looking at “A Handy Guide to Ruffians, Rapscallions, Cads and More, 22 Charming Words for Nasty People” published by the …
Category Archives: Words
Some Charming Words For Nasty People
by Kevin Burton My assigned task was to write past-due notices to customers. Dry enough, but I had some fun with it. I was working as an office assistant at a photo lab in Columbus, Ohio. We were in the not-so-busy season, taking care of things that didn’t get done during the busy …
We Put Adjectives In Order Without Thinking
by Merriam-Webster Dictionary Are you game for some mind-reading? We can predict what you’ll do with the following task: Describe two houses. For the first house, use these adjectives: green, old, and big. For the second house use brick, square, and unusual. We’re pretty sure you came up with “big, old, green house” and “unusual, square, brick house.” …
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Language Of Love: Words For Valentine’s Day
by Merriam-Webster Dictionary Romantic: marked by expressions of love or affection; conducive to or suitable for lovemaking; a person of romantic temperament or disposition (noun) We associate this word with sweetness and love, but it emerged from the conquering powers of the Roman Empire. The expansion of ancient Rome created various dialects of Latin called …
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Double Trouble: 11 Plural-Only Words
by Dictionary Scoop Some words just can’t be left alone. You can have a pair of glasses, climb the stairs, or dip into your savings, but try talking about just one “glass,” (for your eyes) “stair,” or “saving,” and it suddenly feels a bit off. These 11 common words exist only in the …
These Sayings Don’t Mean What They Used To
by Dictionary Scoop We toss around old sayings without giving them a second thought. However, many of them once meant something entirely different than what we are trying to say. Over time, words drift, idioms evolve, and what started as a literal warning becomes a cultural cliche. Let’s rewind the dictionary and see how these …
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These 12 Words Have Anatomical Roots
by Merriam -Webster Dictionary Sarcasm: a keen or bitter taunt : a cutting gibe or rebuke often delivered in a tone of contempt or disgust Sarcasm, that verbal flourish beloved by supercilious people the world over, has the sort of origin that makes other words jealous. It is descended ultimately from the ancient Greek …
Ten Outdated Words Too Good To Stay Buried
by Dictionary Scoop Over time, language evolves, and certain words fade into the background, replaced by new phrases and expressions. But some of these forgotten words have fascinating histories and meanings that will make you smile—or scratch your head. So, let’s take a stroll down memory lane and rediscover some outdated words that …
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Ten Joyful Words From Around The World
by Kevin Burton Happiness is a sunny place to be on a slow and sweet Saturday morning. Happiness has its shadings and degrees. Happiness observes no borders, but it is expressed differently and more specifically in the various parts of the world. This we explore today with a list from Merriam-Webster dictionary. …
Bombshells And Chill Pills, Slang In Our Times
by Kevin Burton The 70s was the grooviest decade there ever could be. I mean it was far out! I know because I was hip to the trip back then. But to-ge-ther as we were, we didn’t invent slang. That has been spoken forever, and continues to this day. Here’s a Dictionary …
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