How Did the Raccoon Get His Name?
Captain John Smith, an English adventurer, coined the phrase in 1608 to describe the native people and their rarowcun skin garments. English colonists abbreviated and...
Read More
Why Do People Use the Phrase Jiminy Cricket?
When someone exclaims “by jiminy, jumpin’ jiminy, etc,” they are employing an old-fashioned exclamation or mild profanity to convey surprise,...
Read More
In What Way Would You Define Achilles Heel?
An Achilles’ heel is a deadly weakness in spite of overall strength, that can actually or potentially lead to downfall. While the mythological origin refers to the...
Read More
How Did Canaries Help Coal Miners?
There was a time when coal miners wouldn’t set foot in a coal mine without a canary present. Canaries protected them from a danger that lurks in the mines—carbon...
Read More
What Does the Term Far East Mean?
Far East is an unofficial name for the countries of eastern Asia. Normally this means China and Japan and their smaller neighbors, plus eastern Siberia. However, lands...
Read More