etymology - Why do they call a murder a "red ball" case? - English ...
Jun 5, 2011 · The exact etymology of this phrase is uncertain, but it appears to be derived from railroad terminology, in which a red ball is a fast freight train which has priority over other trains …
What is the origin of the phrase "playing hooky"?
Feb 14, 2024 · Google Books and Library of Congress matches for 'hookey' and related terms. The earliest Google Books match for "on his own hook" is from a letter from Gerrit Smith to …
Origin of the term "deadeye" meaning "expert marksman"?
CINCINNATI [Ohio], Jan. 18.—Edward Pettis, 17 years old, consumer of "Dead-Eye Dick" novels and would-be "bad man," rushed into the office of Stem, Heidman & Mehlhope, attorneys, in …
slang - What is the etymology of "dope" meaning excellent, great ...
Jan 5, 2016 · Lighter, in particular, offers extensive coverage of dope as a noun, identifying instances of slang usage that go back almost 200 years and extend across two dozen distinct …
meaning - When should ‘state’ be capitalised? - English Language ...
Oct 13, 2015 · U.S. style guides. From [Merriam-]Webster's Standard American Style Manual (19885):. Words designating global, national, regional, or local political divisions are …
Is "Jack of all trades, master of none" really just a part of a longer ...
The expression also appears in Todd Grossman, Shooting Action Sports: The Ultimate Guide to Extreme Filmmaking (2008): Jack-of-All-Trades, Master of None. We've all heard that …
why do some people call green peppers mangoes?
Jun 15, 2014 · Tour Start here for a quick overview of the site
How did the word "beaver" come to be associated with vagina?
Jonathon Green's sources (as cited in Brian Hooper's answer) notwithstanding, the limerick that appears in Immortalia: An Anthology of American Ballads, Sailors' Songs, Cowboy Songs, …
meaning - What is the word or term used to describe a person …
Oct 10, 2014 · There is a girl in my lab who, despite having been corrected numerous times in the past, continues to disregard the lab procedures regarding chain of command. She constantly …
Which is correct, "neither is" or "neither are"?
In formal usage, it should definitely be is:. Neither of these options is available. This is the traditional rule (iirc, Fowler’s discusses this at length).