Why is a clam happy? Why is someone who stops drinking alcohol said to be "on the wagon"? Why do people "go to pot"?

We use "old saws" like this every day, but rarely do we "pull out all the stops" to uncover their ...Read More

incontrovertible \in-kon-truh-VUR-tuh-buhl\ (adjective) - Too clear or certain to admit of dispute; indisputable; unquestionable.

"In bread, You were offered an incontrovertible banner: give man bread and he will worship ...Read More

equable \EK-wuh-buhl; EE-kwuh-\ (adjective) - 1 : Equal and uniform; not varying. 2 : Not easily disturbed; not variable or changing -- said of the feelings, temper, etc.

"Jean, as fair as his brother was dark, as calm as...Read More

appurtenance \uh-PUR-tn-un(t)s\, noun) - 1 : An adjunct; an accessory; something added to another, more important thing. 2 : [Plural]. Accessory objects; gear; apparatus. 3 : [Law]. An incidental right attached to a ...Read More

With the help of Tom Dalzell's deliciously wicked book "The Slang of Sin" (Merriam Webster, $20), let's smoke out the origins of slang terms for marijuana.

"Reefer" first appeared in the popular song "Reefer Man," ...Read More