SLANG

Is the Term a Euphemism for Dying or for Getting Fired?

‘Six feet under’ may be an obvious nod to death, but other phrases are a little trickier.

What’s a wazoo, and why do we invoke it?

Why Do We Say “Up the Wazoo”?

On the possible origins of ‘wazoo,’ and why things are said to tumble out of it.

The UK and the U.S. have their own go-to slang for the office setting.

The Top 5 Office Slang Terms From the UK and U.S.

“Circle back,” “dodgy,” and “bandwidth” are popular slang terms.

8 Slang Terms That Can Mean Basically Anything

From ‘dingus’ to ‘da kine,’ these all-purpose terms have got you covered no matter what you’re trying to say.

18 Old-Timey Words and Terms to Use On New Year’s Eve

Get bugged up and enjoy some laughing soup until you’re in your airs!

Why Do We Say “Jinx”?

If you’ve ever been jinxed into owing someone a soda, you should know why.

Brain rot can be a consequence of too much TikTok.

‘Brain Rot’ Is the Word of 2024, According to Oxford

The phrase for being terminally online is not flattering, but it is Oxford’s Word of the Year.

There are plenty of colorful words out there for ‘villain.’

11 Rare Old Words for the Heinous and Villainous

Use these obscure terms to describe (or diss) the bad guy in your life.

The Surprisingly Lewd Origins of the “Rub-a-Dub-Dub” Nursery Rhyme

The popular nursery rhyme may have emerged in the 14th century—and it didn’t have anything to do with bathing.

How Did Mary Jane Shoes Get Their Name?

Mary Janes have an early-20th-century comic strip to thank for their name.

Be honest—how many words did you already know?

The 10 Most-Searched Slang Terms in 2024

Are all these new slang terms confusing you? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Definition Detective Quiz #12

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

6 Words and Phrases Brought to You by Hollywood

You have Tinseltown to thank for phrases like ‘cut to the chase’ and ‘jump the shark.’

The Surprising Origins of 25 Animal Names

From rabbits to butterflies, learn the surprising origins of these animal names.

17 Scary Sayings for ‘Ghost’ From Across the United States

This spooky season, be able to tell your bugaboos from your tommyknockers.

‘B Dubs’: 10 Slang Terms for Popular Brand Names

Shoppers have been referring to Target as ‘tar-jay’ for over 60 years.

14 Old Slang Terms for Coffins

From ‘six-foot bungalow’ to ‘pine overcoat,’ there have been some creative euphemisms for coffins over the ages—and some terms that were surprisingly (and uncomfortably) direct.

Definition Detective Quiz #5

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

8 Words People Really Hate (And What to Say Instead)

Need another word for ‘moist’ (or some other gross word)? We’ve got you.

Do you know all of the abbreviations on this list?

The 20 Most-Googled Text Abbreviations

See which text abbreviations have people turning to Google.

15 Different Ways to Call “Dibs” Across the United States

You know to say, “I’ve got dibs!” but what if someone else says, “I wackie that doughnut,” or “Let's go snacks on it”? You might lose out on some chocolatey goodness. Be prepared by bulking up your dibs vocabulary.

The Forgotten Sources of 12 Phrases

This episode of The List Show is all about why we say what we say—from the poem that gave us ‘albatross around your neck’ to the hands that gave us ‘hands down.’

Definition Detective Quiz #3

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

20 Old Words for Ignorant People

Here are a few words for ignorant people you might want to add to your lexicon, from ‘wantwit’ to ‘dorkmunder’ to ‘ninnyhammer.’