Old-school news, just in time
by Dictionary Scoop A number of words that are used regularly started in the fields. Terms tied to crops, livestock, and tools found their way into everyday language and stuck around. Take a look at the following 12 examples. You might be surprised how many common expressions have their roots in the soil! …
Continue reading “City Folks Adopted These Agricultural Terms”
by Dictionary Scoop When a new year arrives, we focus on time. And because time plays such a central role in our lives, it’s no surprise that it’s also a key part of our everyday language. Today we’re exploring the origins and meanings of ten time-related idioms you’ve probably never stopped to think about. 1-A …
by Kevin Burton Getting these word-list e-mails from Dictionary Scoop is a little like it was to open a new pack of baseball cards in the old days. You might get Gary Sutherland, you might get Johnny Bench. In fact you always got a mixture of stars and scrubs. Today’s list of …
by Kevin Burton I hear it’s a whale of a book, but I haven’t read it. So sorry. Moby-Dick This comes up because our friends at Merriam-Webster dictionary have compiled a list of nine fun and weird words from Moby-Dick. I hear the book is very long also. So the dictionary …
by Kevin Burton Today’s list from Merriam-Webster, words about hair, got me thinking about the term, “bad hair day.” Is bad hair day an idiom? The dictionary says an idiom is, “an expression in the usage of a language that has a meaning that cannot be understood from the combined meanings of its …
by Kevin Burton Winter has some words for you, even as you perhaps, have some muttered, unkind words for winter. Merriam-Webster dictionary is just a collector of words, and I a mere humble blogger. So we’re not worthy of blame, though we have conspired today to bring you words you would rather not …
by Dictionary Scoop We often say things like “break the ice” or “hit it off” when discussing hanging out with people, without giving much thought to these idioms. But each one has a specific origin and meaning. Have you ever stopped to think about these 12? 1-Break the ice The phrase “break the …
Continue reading “Breaking Ice, Chewing Fat, 12 Social Idioms”
by Kevin Burton You have a drawer like this, admit it. It’s that drawer where you keep things, small things. They will be useful, you swear, and you don’t dare throw them away. Twist ties, bolts, rubber bands. That drawer is a physical category for the uncategorizable. You may even have …
by Dictionary Scoop You probably rattle off “PIN,” “USB,” or “Mrs.” without hesitating, but do you actually know what those letters stand for? Some abbreviations come from Latin, some from long-lost measurements, and a few make absolutely no sense at first glance. So let’s dive into the interesting roots of 12 common abbreviations …
by Kevin Burton A friend in college called herself “Madam Loquacia” to make light of the fact that she talked a lot. Now that’s what I call making the most of your adjectives! (See number 8 on our list below.) Strong muscles help a person who is blessed with them do work. …
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