17 Scary Sayings for 'Ghost' From Across the United States
Familiarize yourself with these spooky slang terms for the spectral from the Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).
Familiarize yourself with these spooky slang terms for the spectral from the Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE).
Calling a grandparent 'Grandmother' or 'Grandfather' is so played out.
Getting a concept onto the big screen is a difficult process, and the pilot episode is what can make—or, more often, break—a series. By why is it called that?
Geographers and climatologists have a goody bag full of wonderful words that get super specific about wind.
What is a placebo? Technically, a Latin phrase meaning ‘I will please.’ It’s also a Catholic prayer and a clever insult.
The pronunciations of names like ‘Yves’ and ‘Geneviève’ aren’t hard once you’ve heard them a few times.
The difference between misinformation and disinformation boils down to the intent behind it (or lack thereof). Plus, a handy trick for knowing which term to use when the time comes.
Ghosts, ghouls, and monsters turn up everywhere at Halloween—including in our language, and sometimes where you least expect.
When talking about the fundament, some terms have slipped through the crack of lexical history—so please enjoy these old and enjoyable terms for the hindquarters.
It took more than 70 years and tons of volunteer labor to create “the definitive record of the English language”—including an assist from a murderer. Get to know the Oxford English Dictionary better.
Though these words sound like fiddle-faddle, they have specific uses that go beyond yada yada and twittle-twattle.
The word ‘yo’ was around long before Rocky movies and rap songs.
If you were an 18th-century settler in Australia with no knowledge of marsupials, you just might decide to call a koala a ‘bear,’ right?
The rich history of the English language is full of similar directional words that are cool but uncommon, like ‘pancakewards,’ ‘couchward,’ and ‘pocketwards.’
If linguistics is any indicator, it would appear that everybody in the spirit realm speaks Scots English.
This all-new translation of the Homer epic is six years in the making.
‘Avocado’ comes to us from Nahuatl—and it doesn’t mean what you might think it means.
Ghost words have nothing to do with otherworldly apparitions, but they’re enough to scare the headwords off lexicographers.
The origins of the phrase (indirectly) involve smelly cabbage, Donald Duck, and several Canadian journalists.
Nowadays, we use jones to express an intense craving for something. But it used to refer specifically to drugs.
English, the language of Shakespeare and the internet, is often touted for its flexibility and adaptability. But with great flexibility comes great inconsistenc
Knowing the meaning of ‘rizz’ can help you connect with the Gen Zers in your life.
Are you not up to snuff when it comes to knowing the origin of ‘up to snuff’? We can help you with that.
From the courts to the morgue, if the government doesn't know someone's name or wants to withhold it, they give them one of these as a placeholder. Why?