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Words Matter

Pictures in the Dictionary

The story of those iconic illustrations.


The story of those iconic illustrations.

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play videos pictures in the dictionary
Pictures in the Dictionary

 

The story of those iconic illustrations.

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What Is 'Semantic Bleaching'?

 

How 'literally' can mean "figuratively"

play video title attorney generals
Is It 'Attorney Generals' Or 'Attorneys General'?

 

'Poets laureate'? 'Court-martials'? The curious history of postpositive adjectives in English.

play merriam-webster eggcorns title page
What Is an Eggcorn?

 

And how did it get that name?

play woman and dog illustration
'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?

 

We're gonna stop you right there

play video ghost words
How a Ghost Word Appeared in the Dictionary

 

An imaginary word that snuck into the dictionary

play hot mess
Hot Mess

 

Our research turned up two archaic literal meanings