Verbivore's Feast: Second Course: More Word & Phrase OriginsIn this companion edition to her popular Verbivore's Feast, Chrysti the Wordsmith, host of the much-loved radio show of the same name, once again examines the evolution and history of the English language, using the odd expressions and cliches that pepper it. Exploring words such as lollygag and quack, and phrases ranging from break a leg to shake a stick and from Adam's apple to trip the light fantastic, Chrysti the Wordsmith uncovers the fascinating stories about their origins. |
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Common terms and phrases
20th century acronym Adam’s adjective American English American English speakers American Slang ancient animal appearing in print aptronym backronym became bird Bridezilla British buff called catchphrase century B.C. chiasmus Chinook Jargon clean cliché coined comes common considered coulrophobia creature dachshund decades derives Dionysus dude early English language eponym etymological euphemism European example expression famous fashioned fear freaks French full monty gangbusters God’s Greek Greekbased hair horse human idiom inspired John Jumbo jump the shark king language Latin lexical Liberace linguistic literally means lives Malaprop man’s metaphor metrosexual Milton’s mondegreen moniker native nickname notion one’s origin Oxford English Dictionary pan phrase poem poet popular prefix proverb recorded referring Roman sausage scalawag Shakespeare simply someone song spam story stump suggests surname synonym Taino tale theory there’s tradition turn verb What’s word meaning word watchers writers wrote young