As with many slang and idiomatic phrases, the origin of cut the mustard isn’t so … clear-cut. But, let’s see if we can’t crack this etymological jar open just a bit. What does “cut the mustard” mean? To cut the mustard is “to reach or surpass the desired standard or performance” or more generally “to succeed, to have the ability to do something.” For instance, Beyoncé …
by Rory Gory Bisexual people make up 52 percent of the lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) community, but in recent years, the words to describe the identity of someone who is attracted to more than one gender have become increasingly complex. As the conversation around gender identity has expanded, so, too, has the language to describe both gender and sexuality as well as the complex …
We've rounded up some emoji that often suffer from cases of mistaken identity. Emoji have official names and are typically designed with a certain image, idea, or emotion in mind.
Expend some of your scaturient energy on this week’s Word of the Day Quiz. | May 20 – May 26, 2019 If the quiz doesn’t display, please try opening in the Chrome browser. Tell us your favorite word from this week below (and share it with your friends on Facebook and Twitter)!
Please consent to expanding your vocabulary before proceeding with this week’s Word of the Day Quiz. | May 13 – May 19, 2019 If the quiz doesn’t display, please try opening in the Chrome browser. Tell us your favorite word from this week below (and share it with your friends on Facebook and Twitter)!
by Kimberly C. Ellis, PhD I remember that Sunday so clearly. I saw something called “#RedWedding” trending on Twitter and when I clicked on the hashtag, I discovered it was related to the hit television show Game of Thrones already into its third season. I decided that night I would find out about the show, watch it for the first time, and learn about this Red …
We’re back celebrating our Word of the Day! Because there’s plenty left to reminisce about from the last 10 years. In Part II of our lexical stroll down memory lane (see Part I, 1999–2008, here), we will be examining word selections from 2009–2018, unearthing serendipitous synchronicities and offering perspicacious perspectives into notable events and trends of the last decade. Oops, just kidding, because our first …
The language surrounding climate change is changing right alongside the climate itself. But, it all began with global warming … Climate change was first known to many of us as global warming, a phrase dating to the 1950s that indicates “a longterm rise in Earth’s average atmospheric temperature.” The idea that global warming exists and could be attributed to human behavior, however, was first put forward in 1896 …
