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by Dictionary Scoop Words like “cattywampus” and “frou-frou” are more than just fun to say. Sometimes, etymology can take unexpected twists and leave us with gems like “erf” and “dragoon.” To some, these are everyday words in areas like cuisine or urban planning, for others they are a random assortment of letters that might …
Continue reading “Funny-Sounding Words With Serious Meanings”
by Dictionary Scoop Food idioms have a way of adding flavor to our speech. We have internalized these phrases and no longer notice their edible main characters. What are the origins of these funny lines? Did their meanings evolve over the centuries? Grab a snack and read on to learn the history of food-related …
by Dictionary Scoop The beautiful Italian language includes terms that perfectly encapsulate the meaning of things other languages need more than one word to define. Since food and classical music are two very successful Italian exports, it should come as no surprise that many words we use in English-speaking countries relating to these …
Continue reading “Italian Words That We Use (Most) Every Day”
by Dictionary Scoop Speaking the same language doesn’t always guarantee effective communication. For example, the elderly and the young share a language but not a code. In the case of our fellow English speakers across the Atlantic, some words and phrases are quite specific to their culture. Here are ten British expressions and their origins: 1-Bagsy …
Continue reading “What’s For Dinner Fido? Ten British Phrases”
by Kevin Burton I invite you to step today, if you dare, into Kev’s Kitchen. Just yesterday on Page 7 we looked at some jargon used by professional chefs and servers as they communicate in their busy restaurants. At our house we don’t use too many of their terms. We do say “behind” …
Continue reading “Nuclear Food, Goop Avoidance, Super Salads”
by Dictionary Scoop Just like every craft has its own slang, the world of restaurant cooking is an infinite trove of phrases, lingo, and idioms used to describe actions, places, things, and many other aspects that need an accurate description. Scroll on to see a few of the terms that make up the …
Continue reading “Kitchen Jargon Terms Of Professional Chefs”
by Dictionary Scoop Sometimes, names reveal much about the history of the lands as native communities and original settlers knew them. Arguments, infestations, practical arrangements, mythology, and landscapes, all inspired the current denominations of these ten cities that are thriving today. 1-Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania Punxsutawney’s name might bring a certain charming groundhog to mind, but its …
by Dictionary Scoop In different parts of the world, people often express the same ideas in very similar ways, while using different languages. Join us to discover the foreign counterparts of these 10 everyday American idioms. 1-Beggars can’t be choosers When you’re faced with a situation where you have to take what is …
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by Kevin Burton My first reaction upon reading that Merriam-Webster plans to eliminate words from the dictionary was protective: “keep your hands off my words!” Then I read the list. Well all right then, go ahead and chop them. Except for mugwump. I need that one to stay. The Mugwumps was …
by Dictionary Scoop While many things bring Americans closer to the UK, some aspects of our language set us apart. English is spoken by more than 1.4 billion people worldwide; with so many people using this language, it is understandable that some differences have developed. Today we walk through 10 drastic vocabulary differences between American …
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