Mashed Radish

The dramatic roots of “explode”

In Ancient Rome, theatergoers would drive actors they didn’t like off stage by clapping very loudly. The custom ultimately gives us the word explode. Last Friday, after seven years decrying Obamacare, House Republicans pulled their bill to replace it. It was an explosive event, and, from President Trump, it met with an ‘explosive’ response: “I’ve been saying for Read more.

John Kelly

March 28, 2017

Feature
Etymology of the Day: What is the “stir” in “stir-crazy”?

After a long winter, the short days and dark nights, our cold houses and heavy coats, begin to feel like a prison. They make us go stir-crazy, as we say. But why stir? Is it because the confinement make us stir with restlessness? Confinement, it turns out, is behind the stir in stir-crazy, just much more Read more.

John Kelly

March 27, 2017

Etymology of the Day
Goats, galloons, gas stations, and Gorsuch: The origin of “chevron”

Confirmation hearings of US Supreme Court nominees—like Neil Gorsuch’s this week in the Senate—give obscure judicial terms a rare moment in the public spotlight. Consider super precedent, who fights baddies with the power of past decisions. Or stare decisis, which sounds like a long-lost sister to Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” And then there’s Chevron Read more.

John Kelly

March 24, 2017

Feature
Etymology of the Day: Puppy

It’s been another busy week for politics in the US, and so today, National Puppy Day, couldn’t come at a better time. So, too, the origin of the word puppy. It’s pretty adorable. Read more.

John Kelly

March 23, 2017

Etymology of the Day
Etymology of the Day: Litmus

Litmus, as in litmus test, is just one of those words that looks like it’s from Latin. For one, it ends in -us, a signature case ending in the language. For another, many of us first encounter the word in chemistry class, and science, we know, brims with Latin derivatives. So, why don’t we put Read more.

John Kelly

March 22, 2017

Etymology of the Day

The dramatic roots of “explode”

Etymology of the Day: What is the “stir” in “stir-crazy”?

Goats, galloons, gas stations, and Gorsuch: The origin of “chevron”

Etymology of the Day: Puppy

Etymology of the Day: Litmus