A punch list is an accounting of incomplete or poorly executed items on a construction project. Near the end of a construction project, the architect or engineer draws up a list of items that must be completed before he gives the contractor payment in full. A punch list gets its …
Dibs is a word used when laying claim to something. Calling dibs on something is an assertion of one’s rights. The idea of dibs, calling dibs or calling first dibs goes back to an eighteenth century children’s game called dibstones. Dibstones was a game akin to jacks, played with sheep …
A milquetoast is a person who is skittish, unassuming, timid, weak. Milquetoast is mainly an American term, coming from an American cartoon drawn by Harold T Webster in the 1920s through the 1950s called The Timid Soul. The cartoon revolved around a character called Caspar Milquetoast. Milktoast is an eggcorn …
A taser is a non-lethal weapon that fires probes in order to deliver a debilitating, but not fatal, electric shock. The taser was invented by Jack Cover, a NASA scientist, in 1969. Cover named the device after a weapon featured in a children’s novel, Tom Swift’s electric rifle. Cover gave …
Besotted means extremely infatuated, obsessed with, doting. Originally, besotted meant intoxicated or drunk, it was a past participle of the verb besot. Eventually, besotted became an adjective, and the verb form of besot fell out of use. Today, besotted indicates someone so infatuated or obsessed with someone or something that …
A hobo is someone who travels, picking up the odd job here and there. Hobo is a term used primarily in North America. The stereotype of a hobo is a man riding the rails or hopping on freight trains to get from one place to another, carrying all his belongings …
A caucus is a a group of supporters of a political group or members of a political group who combine forces. In the United States, many states hold caucuses in order to select a presidential candidate. At these state caucuses, ordinary citizens show up at polling places on an appointed …
The English language has a rich tapestry of words and meanings, and we’re always adding new words to the dictionaries as they gain popularity and widespread understanding. Take the word hootenanny as a great example. It doesn’t sound like it’d be an actual word, right? But it is! Now I’m …
The words “nerd,” “geek,” and “dork” are often used to describe someone who is passionate about a particular subject or activity, but they can also be used as insults. While these words may be used interchangeably by some people, they do have distinct meanings and connotations. Understanding the difference between …
What is Pig Latin? No, it’s not a secret language only spoken among pigs. In fact, it’s not a real language at all. Pig Latin is more of a word game, and it’s been around for years. It’s a super fun way to speak in code with people you know, …