This is another United States and British division. A parlor (or parlour) is a room in the house specifically used to entertain guests. The custom of having a parlor has become less common. More likely you will hear the word in reference to a shop or business that is specific to one type of …
A mouthful is the maximum amount a mouth will contain. It can also mean something that is extremely hard to pronounce, or something said that has a lot of meaning. The plural is mouthfuls. This word falls into the category of words with the suffix -ful. While this suffix means full, it is …
High jinks is a plural noun referring to loud chaotic play, specifically characterized by its high energy and wildness. It can also be spelled hijinks. Some say that high jinks is used within the United States, while hijinks is found outside. However, we found that there is a good mix of either spelled used in all …
A fete is an extravagant celebration or party, sometimes outdoors. It can also be considered a festival where a large number of individuals gather to honor someone. As a verb, to fete someone is to honor them with a large party. It makes feted and feting. The French word from which fete is derived has a circumflex …
The phrase brand spanking new means to be entirely new or recently created, and was first recorded in 1860. It evolved from the compound word brand-new and the phrase spick-and-span. Also, spanking, while the main definition is to hit someone on the butt, can also mean to move quickly. So one might say that a brand spanking …
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To debark is to disembark, which is to get off of an airplane or ship or other mode of transportation. Both can also be the act of removing someone or something from the same vessels. Both have noun forms of debarkation and disembarkation, which refer to the location the person debarked at. Additionally, one can debark a tree, or …
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This is a classic case of spelling difference between American English and British English. Etiology or aetiology is most commonly used as a medical term for the cause of a certain disease. It is also the name of the field of medicine focused on finding the cause of conditions or diseases. Outside the United …
Lately, I’ve been seeing people saying, “all of the sudden” instead of “all of a sudden.” But which one is correct? It drives me insane because, to me, one sounds incorrect. All of a sudden is the correct idiomatic expression, which means suddenly. Keep reading to understand the difference between …
To be long in the tooth is to be old, either in age or simply out of date. This phrase originated with horses, whose teeth continue to grow and be worn down throughout their life, so that by looking at their teeth one can guess at the horses’ age. It is commonly …