on/off the hook 20 May 2026 The phrases on the hook and off the hook have had various meanings over the centuries. Of course, there are many literal uses of the phrases, but the figurative ones extend from on the hook metaphorically meaning to be ensnared or entrapped, like a fish on an
haggard 18 May 2026 The adjective haggard today is generally used to describe someone who presents an emaciated, worn, weary, or disheveled appearance. But the original sense of the word is quite different, coming from the sport of falconry. The word was borrowed into English in the mid sixteenth century from
stay in your lane 15 May 2026 The underlying metaphor under the clichéd piece of advice to stay in your lane is rather obvious, but the use of phrase appears to have moved from the literal to the metaphorical in US military in the closing decade of the twentieth century. That metaphor is one
antifa 13 May 2026 In its present incarnation, while it is often styled in the press as a “group” or “organization,” antifa is more of a political ethos or orientation that opposes fascism and anti-democratic forces. While not inherently violent, some of those who self-identify as antifa are often willing to
hodad 11 May 2026 Hodad is surfing jargon. Exactly what it means has shifted a bit. It started out as a deprecatory term for non-surfers, but it quickly shifted to become a general term of opprobrium. The origin of the term, like that of many slang terms, is unknown. J. E.
sophism / sophomore / sophomoric 8 May 2026 An argument or statement that is sophomoric is pretentious and crudely reasoned (cf. sophisticated). It is no surprise that it comes from sophomore, a word for second-year university student. And that word’s root is sophism, which brings us full circle as that word refers to a
religion 6 May 2026 Religion has a straightforward etymology, but its original English meaning is rather different from how it is commonly used today. It is a late twelfth-century borrowing, partly from the Anglo-Norman religiun, and partly from the post-classical Latin religio. Its original English sense was that of a monastic
English (spin) 4 May 2026 In billiards, and in other sports, to put English on a ball is to cause it to spin so that it’s course changes. In billiards, this is done by striking the ball on one side, and the course change often occurs after it caroms off the
eighty-six / 86 2 May 2026 Eighty-six or 86 originated in restaurant slang with the meaning that an item was out of stock. It also came into use as a verb meaning to cancel an order and to eject or not serve a customer. It then passed into general slang to mean to
hokum 1 May 2026 Hokum is a slang term with two main senses. One is something that is overly sentimental or melodramatic; the other is nonsense, something that is false. Like most slang terms, its origin is a bit mysterious, but the most likely explanation is that it is a blend
buck up 29 April 2026 Today, buck up usually means to cheer up, to be encouraged. But in the past it was used in a wider range of meanings with the base sense of to become confident and assertive. The metaphor underlying the phrase is the behavior and attitude of a male
college widow 27 April 2026 College widow is a term you don’t hear anymore, except in historical usage. It harkens back to a time when only men attended university and short-lived love affairs between the male students and female residents of college towns were common. A college widow was often, but
