Drop in the Bucket - 1 December 2025

A Way with Words - language, linguistics, and callers from all over

A Way with Words

Education, Language Learning, Society & Culture

4.6 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 1 December 2025

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

A sumptuous new collection of poems about specific photographs shows how the moment in time captured by camera can inspire a verbal work of art as well. Also, why do we say that a quarterback got sacked? Plus, If you’re planning to vacation at a textile-free resort, you probably don’t have to pack much. Non-textile means “clothing-optional”—or even “clothing-free”! Also, the phrase turned off cold, a puzzle about funny irregular plurals, finifugal, got the bots, leveling, Weltschmerz, chiffarobe, words of encouragement from Hong Kong English, and more. Add oil! Hear hundreds of free episodes and learn more on the A Way with Words website: https://waywordradio.org. Be a part of the show: call or text 1 (877) 929-9673 toll-free in the United States and Canada; elsewhere in the world, call or text +1 619 800 4443. Send voice notes or messages via WhatsApp 16198004443. Email [email protected]. Copyright Wayword, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Think about cheese.
0:02.0	Make your thoughts cheesier.
0:04.2	Now add 100% chicken breast fillet, Chipotle sauce and Ameta cheese melt.
0:08.3	And it's giving the new cheesy chicken stack at McDonald's.
0:12.0	Did we mention it's cheesy?
0:13.9	Cheese.
0:15.8	Availments with the 4th of Jan, 2026 from 11 a.m.
0:18.1	Present participation may vary.
0:19.2	Subjects availability.
0:20.1	You're listening to Away with Words, the show about language and how we use it. I'm Grant Barrett.
0:25.3	And I'm Martha Barnett. And Grant, I have some words of encouragement for you. Yes, please. Let's
0:30.9	have them. Add oil. Ad oil. ADD, space, OIL. Exclamation mark. Add oil. Yes. Add oil. AllD, space, O-I-L, exclamation mark, add oil.
0:39.2	Yes, add oil.
0:41.0	All right, what am I adding oil to?
0:43.0	Is it to my cooking, to my sore muscles, to my engine?
0:47.6	Well, yeah, metaphorically, you're adding it to your engine.
0:51.3	It turns out the Oxford English Dictionary added this expression a few years ago,
0:56.5	and it noted that it's from Hong Kong English, meaning expressing encouragement or excitement or
1:03.1	support, that it's similar to go for it. And it's that same idea of making your engine run
1:09.9	even more smoothly.
1:11.2	You know, keep it humming.
1:12.6	Add oil.
	...

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