An interrobang is a punctuation mark that consists of an exclamation point and a question mark superimposed on top of one another. You may never have heard of an interrobang, but it was first introduced in the 1960s and continues to add both a questioning and surprised tone to sentences …
Malarkey means foolish talk, nonsense. Malarkey, sometimes spelled as malarky, is an American word. The exact etymology of the word malarkey is unknown. Many assume malarkey is an Irish-American word that is somehow related to the Irish surname, Mullarkey, but a direct link is yet to be established. In any …
Mint condition means in pristine shape, in an unmarred condition. Mint condition is used to describe used or pre-owned goods that have an excellent, like-new appearance and are in good working order. The word mint in mint condition refers to a coin that is newly stuck or newly minted and …
Alternately means several things taken in turn, consecutively, one after another. Alternately is an adverb formed by adding -ly to the word alternate, which comes from the Latin word alternatus meaning one after the other. Alternatively means another choice, on the other hand, another possibility. Alternatively is an adverb formed …
Should have refers to a missed opportunity, an unfulfilled obligation. Should have is often expressed as the contraction should’ve, especially in speech. Should’ve sounds perilously like should of, however should of is not correct and should never be used. Contractions have been around as long as the English language, many …
While is a period of time. While may be used as a conjunction to mean during a certain period of time or on the other hand. While may also be used as a verb to mean to pass time in a pleasant way, related words are whiles, whiled, whiling. While …
One of my obsessions is the reality TV show Gold Rush, so I’m pretty familiar with what pay dirt is. However, that’s the literal usage of the term, not the metaphorical one. So, let’s break things down, see what hit pay dirt can mean in other ways, and discover how …
Adolescence is the period of human psychological and physical development that occurs between the onset of puberty and adulthood. Adolescence means the period following childhood, it comes from the Latin word adolescentia which means youth. Adolescents are young people who are going through the period of human psychological and physical …
A.M. and P.M. are two abbreviations you’ve most definitely heard a lot in your life; everyone has! But you might not know exactly what they mean. These two little abbreviations are used to indicate whether a time is in the morning or in the afternoon. But don’t let the simplicity …
Rebut means to argue against something, to offer a counterargument. Related terms are rebuts, rebutted, rebutting, rebuttal, rebuttable. Rebut comes into the English language in the early 1300s from the Old French word reboter meaning to thrust back, to butt. Refute means to prove that a statement or a concept …