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The dark and troubled past of “sleazy”
The earliest record of sleazy likens the human brain to beer left out in the sun. On Capitol Hill yesterday, FBI Director James Comey confirmed that his agency is probing Russian interference in the 2016 US election. During his hearing, Denny Heck, a Democratic representative for Washington, commented on the state of the investigation: “We’re Read more.
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10 words with surprising Irish roots
From bother and trousers to slogan and slew, the English language has Irish etymology galore. We’re all Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, as we like to say, but so too are many of our words – and not just the more obvious ones like leprechaun or shamrock. There are many other everyday words whose Irish origins Read more.
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Etymology of the Day: Heyday
Back in my heyday, we’ve heard our fathers so often begin some boast of long-lost glory. The heyday of the train, the heyday of radio, the heyday of the flip-phone – each of these remembers some technological golden age of yore. Perhaps you’ve wondered: What is the hey– in heyday? As it turns out, we’re Read more.
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Why is it called the “Ides” of March?
We don’t know where the word “Ides” comes from or why the Ancient Romans used plural words for singular dates. Thanks, Caesar. Read more.
Mashed Radish 