SLANG

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.’

Why Do We Say “Cold, Hard Cash”?

The meaning behind the money.

Olympic sports like volleyball have their own delicious slang.

20 Colorful Slang Terms from Olympic Sports

Here are 20 fun bits of Olympics slang, from diving’s ‘bingo’ to gymnastics’ ‘twisties.’

The song may not actually have much to do with a weasel at all.

‘Pop! Goes the Weasel’: The Real Meaning Behind the Nursery Rhyme

You may think you know the words to “Pop! Goes the Weasel.” The tune is everywhere from jack-in-the-box toys to Data and Riker’s first encounter in ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’. But it may not even be about a weasel at all.

Why Do We Say Things Are “Cute as a Button”?

The expression—which can be used for all things adorable—dates back to the early 20th century.

15 Impressive Italian Insults and Curses

Italian is the language of love—and delightfully creative insults.

Why Do We Say “Pony Up” When We Want Money?

The idiom for demanding payment doesn’t quite have the equine origins one would think.

Boston Slang: 25 Wicked Good Terms You Should Know

Next time you’re in the Hub, you can let your Masshole flag fly with these Boston slang terms that will have you sounding like a townie in no time.