boogaloo
Boogaloo refers to a loosely organized extremist movement that supports a second American Civil War, which they also refer to as a boogaloo. Adherents of the movement, known as the Boogaloo Boys or Bois, hold…
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“Slander” vs. “Libel” – What Is The Key Difference?
If you spread a nasty rumor about your boss, are you engaging in slander? Can a politician sue a newspaper for libel if an article calls her a liar? What do these two words mean, and are they interchangeable? Since both are types of defamation or “the act of making negative statements that hurt another person’s reputation,” and also illegal, you’ll want to make sure …
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These Uncommon Singular Words Sound So Wrong
Sometimes we can’t remember the plural form of a word—is it hippopotamuses or hippopotami? (Hint: it can be either). But there are also those times when we’re so used to hearing the plural form of a word that we just can’t think of the singular. Even if we can remember the correct word, it tends to sound so odd and unfamiliar that we second guess …
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“Contagious” vs. “Infectious”: The Difference Can Be Important
by John Kelly, Senior Research Editor at Dictionary.com Whether it’s flu season, chickenpox at your kid’s school, concerns about measles in your town, or the coronavirus pandemic, the words contagious and infectious often come around in news and social media, in casual conversations and government communications. While these two terms get used interchangeably, knowing the difference between them can, in some cases, be life-saving. To …
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“Acronyms” vs. “Abbreviations” vs. “Initialisms:” What’s the Difference?
Is there a difference between acronyms and abbreviations? Most people think they’re pretty similar…and they’re definitely used in similar ways. But, there are slight differences. What is an abbreviation? An abbreviation is any shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase. Did you catch the word any in there? That means abbreviation is the blanket term for all these shortened words we’ve all been using on social …
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What’s The Problem With Whataboutism?
There are all sorts of retorts people resort to when criticized or called out for a mistake or wrongdoing of some kind. (Heaven forbid anyone just say, “I’m sorry. I was wrong,” anymore.) One of the most maddening kinds is increasingly being referred to as whataboutism. You know it when you hear it. “Hey, weren’t you supposed to do the dishes last night?” you ask your …
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shelfie
A shelfie is a picture of a shelf, especially a bookshelf that shows off someone’s books, movies, art, collectibles, special belongings, etc. A shelfie can also be a proper selfie if you are in the… -
How The Hot Dog Got Its Silly (And Kind of Gross) Name
This July 4th weekend, how about taking some time to consider the names of those items you are about to eat? Brace yourself for the short and disputed history of that American grilling favorite: the hot dog. Why do we call hot dogs, well, hot dogs? There are a few schools of thought on the origin of this favorite food. Some think that people commonly …
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“Gnarly,” “Nasty,” And “Sick”: Are These Synonyms?
If you hang out around surfers long enough, chances are you’ll overhear them talking about a gnarly wave or a sick run. But what if they’re chatting about their housekeeping woes, and a gnarly living room or nasty kitchen? (Not cool, dude!) Does that make the words gnarly, sick, and nasty synonyms? This gets tricky because in addition to having various definitions, each word can be used …
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“Bare” vs. “Bear”: What Is The Difference?
Most people know the word bear as a fuzzy noun: a massive mammal that makes for a beloved and cuddly toy. But what about the pain that some people know (all too well) when bearing down if they have a hemorrhoid? Or is it baring down that causes the unbearable burning? What if I take my shoes off when I enter someone’s home—am I walking …
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ACAB
ACAB is a derogatory acronym that stands for All Cops Are Bastards and All Coppers Are Bastards, among other variants. Often used alongside ACAB is its numerical equivalent 1312, based on the letters’ alphabetical position…
