Tag Archives: word play

From Where Does That Phrase Come?

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Catch Word is a word under the right-hand side of the last line on a book page that repeats the first word on the following page – circa 1736. It was commonly used in printing. The phrase has come into … Continue reading →

Posted in American History, Great Britain, real life tales, word play | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Euphemisms

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Dictionary.com says a euphemism is “the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt.”  Euphemisms are plentiful, some old and some of a more modern twists. Let us look at a … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, euphemisms, Great Britain, Living in the Regency, Regency era | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Do You Know These Words and Phrases?

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

I was reading a period piece recently and came across the words and phrases below. How many of these do you use? Verge – British: A grass edging such as that by the side of a road or path Embarazo – … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Living in the Regency, Regency era, Victorian era, word play | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Do You Know These Words and Phrases?

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

I have some words/phrases that are familiar and others perhaps not so. Enjoy the origins of these choice tidbits.  Butterfingers: (Phrases.org) A name playfully applied to someone who fails to catch a ball or lets something slip from their fingers. Several authorities Charles Dickens invented … Continue reading →

Posted in American History, British history, Great Britain, Uncategorized, word play | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Are You Familiar with These Words and Phrases?

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

We have a variety of words that mean “stupid or foolish person” Ninnyhammer – First Known Use: 1592 Berk – The usage is dated to the 1930s. A shortened version of Berkeley Hunt, the hunt based at Berkeley Castle in … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Uncategorized, word play | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Do You Know the Origins of These Words and Phrases?

Posted on March 6, 2015 by Regina Jeffers

Iron Curtain – This phrase was coined after World War II by Prime Minister Winston Churchill of Great Britain to describe the rise of Russian influence over Eastern Europe. Churchill found the rigid censorship of the citizenry and the closing … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, Great Britain, Uncategorized, word play | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

From Where Does That Phrase Come?

Posted on November 14, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

This first one is for Brian, who spoke of a preference for the word in one of my recent posts. Codswallop ~ Unknown, attested from 1959 episode of UK TV series Hancock’s Half Hour. The writers (Galton and Simpson) state that … Continue reading →

Posted in British history, language choices, legends and myths, Uncategorized, word play | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

From Where Does That Phrase Come?

Posted on September 12, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

Catch Word is a word under the right-hand side of the last line on a book page that repeats the first word on the following page – circa 1736. It was commonly used in printing. The phrase has come into … Continue reading →

Posted in customs and tradiitons, language choices, word play, writing | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Editing 101: Words Frequently Confused (Part 2)

Posted on August 26, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

Most writers enjoy games that test their knowledge of word skills. Yet, knowing which word or phrase to choose can be a challenge even for those of us who consider ourselves “word” worshippers. Are you aware of the distinctions listed … Continue reading →

Posted in editing, language choices, word play, writing | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

From Where Does That Phrase Come? A Bit of Slang

Posted on August 18, 2014 by Regina Jeffers

Slang, consists of a lexicon of non-standard words and phrases in a given language. Use of these words and phrases is typically associated with the subversion of a standard variety (such as Standard English) and is likely to be interpreted … Continue reading →

Posted in language choices, Pop Culture, word play, writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments