Beefed It - 25 October 2021

<p>The words tough, through, and dough all end in O-U-G-H. So why don't they rhyme? A lively new book addresses the many quirks of English by explaining the history of words and phrases. And: have you ever been in a situation where a group makes a decision to do something, only to discover later that no one really wanted to do that thing in the first place? There's a term for that! Plus, the sounds we make when we're simply passing the time or waiting a few seconds for something to happen. It can sound like a "whoosh" or barely audible humming -- or even the theme from "Jeopardy!" Also, toe the line vs. tow the line, Dirty Gertie, One Mississippi vs. One Piccadilly, cardboard dog vs. rubber duck, sand-hundred, beefed it, a rhyming puzzle, and doofus. All that for just a buck three-eighty!</p> <p>Read full show notes, hear hundreds of free episodes, send your thoughts and questions, and learn more on the <em>A Way with Words</em> website: <a href= "https://waywordradio.org/contact">https://waywordradio.org/contact</a>. Be a part of the show: call <a href="tel:+18779299673">1 (877) 929-9673</a> toll-free in the United States and Canada; worldwide, call or text/SMS <a href="tel:+16198004443">+1 (619) 800-4443</a>. Email <a href= "mailto:words@waywordradio.org">words@waywordradio.org</a>. Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/wayword">@wayword</a>. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation.</p>