Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast: Recent Episodes

Shauna Harrison, Dan Pugh

Welcome to our whimsical adventure of idioms and other turns of phrase. Each week, we delve into the origins of phrases to find out how they came into the English language. We tell the story of how the phrase got from its beginnings to where it is today. Shauna and Dan are two big nerds, so expect some geek culture references, random trivia facts, and loads of laughs!

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Welcome back, one last time, to Bunny Trails! This week Shauna and Dan explore an appropriate phrase in an effort to End on a High Note. Bonus: Cloris Leachman, Heavy Sneezes, and the Picnic in Your Freezer.

Thank you for listening for 9 seasons! Be kind to each other, and do your best to find the positives in life - even when that seems difficult.

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It's our penultimate episode! This week Shauna and Dan go Beyond the Pale. We'll, Dan does because he tends to live outside the bounds of what some people think is morally right. Bonus: Music Festivals, Acme Products, and Kegerators. Also, what speed do you listen to audiobooks?

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the time-honored tradition of Counting Sheep. Bonus: Mindfulness, Sleeping Raw, and What Makes a Musical. It's Sheepnanigans all the way down!

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Quick Quips: This week Shauna and Dan find out why they call it the 'Quick and the Dead'. Bonus: Religious Creeds, Highlander the TV show, and Podcasting Word of Mouth.

Also - there is an important announcement in the middle of the show that will be of interest to all listeners!

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RETRO: This week Shauna and Dan learn why we call those pesky emails spam messages. Bonus: The first spam messages (way older that you might think) and why Hormel's canned meat is called SPAM.

Originally Aired December 27, 2023

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Cut and Dried". Bonus: Dan Sings Alt Rock, Tobacco use in the United Kingdom (1586 - 1660), and a Podcast Music Legend

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On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon!patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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Quick Quips: This week Shauna and Dan ignore the fluff and "cut to the chase". Bonus: BLUF, Photo Albums, and light pop-dance-funk-jazz sounds

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This week Shauna and Dan turn a blind eye to the problems of the world. Bonus: Gaslighting Leaders (1810s), Unpopular Tariffs (1890s), and USA's Concentration Camps (1940s). Wowsers is it a fun one this week!

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Quick Quips: This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Belly Up". Bonus: Fish, Bars, and Backwards Belly Flops

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Line in the Sand". Bonus: Moral Dubiosity, Spanish Conquistadors, and Remembering the Alamo

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Quick Quips: This week Shauna and Dan tune into that radio phrase, Roger That. Bonus: Jolly Roger; Victor, Clarence, and Roger; and (in Dan's best droid voice) Roger Roger

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase Goody Two Shoes. Bonus: Nepotism, Romance Tropes, and RPG Maker-style horror genre video games

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Quick Quips: This week Shauna and Dan explore, "Any Port in a Storm". Bonus: A coat for your coat, Safe spaces in space, and Not-happy-little-horror Trees

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On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon!patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, Pass the Buck. Bonus: Presidential Slogans, Murderous Masonic Convocations, and Mark Twain's Miner Mumbo vs Preacher Patois

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Quick Quips: This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "put a sock in it". Bonus: 90s Action-comedies, Choose Your Own Adventure media, and if the Chief is inclined to jib, tell him to put a sock in it!

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On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon!patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "A Watched Pot Never Boils". Bonus: Nom de plumes, neurodivergent characters from the 1870s, and time being all wimbly wombly

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RETRO Episode: This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Beware the Ides of March" Which begs the question... what are Ides? Should we beware the Ides of other months? Bonus: Calends, Nones, and Caesars

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Quick Quips: This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "Spoonful of Sugar". Bonus: Magical Nannies, Toy Story Fairies, and how the polio vaccine gave us a wonderful song

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Kick the Bucket". Bonus: Jack & Jill, General Patton, and Dan's favorite terms for dying.

CW: This episode contains irreverent talk about death. Please skip if that isn't for you right now. .

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On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon! patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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This week Shauna and Dan explore what it means to be "in the limelight". Bonus: Chemical Reactions, Chess Masters, and Cerebral 70's Lyrics

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Tickle Your Fancy". Bonus: Robin Hood, Puritans, Lucille Ball on Broadway, and the answer to the age-old question... has this phrase always been a double entendre?

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Quick Quips: This week Shauna and Dan go AWOL. Bonus: Initialisms vs Acronyms, AWOL vs Desertion, and Co-workers vs the Team Lead

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "rest on your laurels". Or since the late 1700s, DO NOT rest on your laurels. Bonus: Greek Gods, Roman Funerals, and Swedish Doctors

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This week Shauna and Dan introduce the Quick Quips format which will be used when a phrase doesn't fit into the regular format. This week, Living the Dream! Bonus: Irony in the 1950s, Irony in the 1990s, and Irony in the 2020s.

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This week Shauna and Dan make every possible effort to explain Pull Out All the Stops. Bonus: Australian Football, Coughing instead of clapping, and playing the pipe organ while Rome burns

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On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon! patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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Welcome to Season 9. It seems improbable that you have been joining us for 8 years and over 300 episodes, but here you are! Thanks for being a part of the Bunny Trails community. If you want to take your listening to the next level, join us over at Patreon, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod. You'll get instant free perks like our weekly polls and discussions on what everyone read/watched/played the past week. There are paid perks, too, if you feel so inclined. We'll talk to you next week for Season 9 of Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast!

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On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon! patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "At a Crossroads", which has a strong association with blues legend Robert Johnson. Bonus: Search engine optimization in the 1700s and cool pet names. Also, how do you pronounce gnocchi?

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It's that time of year! Shauna and Dan deep dive into the holiday phrase, Christmas Spirit. The feeling, not the ghosts. Bonus: Curmudgeonly old men, spirits pitching the Christmas spirit, and the great bagel vs donut debate.

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On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon! patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the history of the snowball effect. Bonus: Snowpersons, Science Fiction Matriarchs, and Snake Oil Sales Folk. Double Bonus: Air travel tips!

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This week Shauna and Dan are joined by 'Words Christmas Gave Us' author Grace Tierney to talk about Christmas, Boxing Day (St. Stephens Day if you are in Ireland - Do NOT make that mistake), and fun holiday traditions. Happy holidays from all of us at Bunny Trails!

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Shauna and Dan talk about the ancient phrase, never look a gift horse in the mouth. Bonus: What would $200,000 in 1912 be worth today, Can you really tell the age of a horse by looking at its teeth, and the best ice cream flavor

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On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon! patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the surprising origins of pie in the sky. Bonus: Workers rights, Great British actors, and the biggest meal of the day

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On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon! patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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This week Shauna and Dan go whole hog to bust some myths and find some cookout tips. Bonus: Bucking porkchops, extreme ironing, and how to tell a fiddle from a violin

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On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon! patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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This week Shauna and Dan tread upon eggs as they explore the modern version of this phrase, walking on eggshells. Bonus: Magical friendship eggs, Dan's sunscreen for the eyes, And Shauna's fear of trial by jury. Also, we are bringing back "sinistrously".

It's free to join our Patreon, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon! patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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This week Shauna and Dan find out if you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar. Bonus: Learning new languages, Riding narwhals, and Canada's No. 1 prospector

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On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon! patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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This week Shauna and Dan take a catnap. Bonus: Sleep Momentum, Star Trek IV: Spock and Whales, and THE MODS ARE ASLEEP - EVERYONE POST OWLS! Bonus Bonus: Antnaps

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On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon! patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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This week Shauna and Dan explore having your tongue in your cheek, or the simplified version, tongue in cheek. Bonus: General irreverence, New Zealand's parliamentary insults, and Tongue-based assistive devices

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This week Shauna and Dan learn what it means to be at one's beck and call. Bonus: Reincarnation, Dan's anxiety, and restaurants recommended by tire companies

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On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon! patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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This week Shauna and Dan go "off the rails" looking into this interesting phrase. Bonus: The tender lyrics of Ozzy Osbourne, wild sci-fy synopses, and moonwalking in clown shoes

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This week Shauna and Dan try not to make a mountain out of a molehill: Bonus: Celestial Scorpions, Time Management Skills, and the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

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This week Shauna and Dan learn how to cook the books. Bonus: Accounting Wizardry, Spoof versus Satire, and an Epic Parisian Ice Cream Brawl

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This week Shauna and Dan rub salt in the wound to see how it feels. Well, not literally, because they both know it hurts. Bonus: Stubborn spouses, iocaine poisoning, and the tingly tarantula of Trinidad

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On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon! patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the varieties of Nest Eggs. Bonus: Common-sense furniture, Satan sitting on a sin's spawn, and Shauna's hot ninja take

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This week Shauna and Dan try to discover the Missing Link. Bonus: The Piltdown Man, The TV Show Bones, and Missed Sneezes.

Also, please direct all Ultraman complaints to Shauna.

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On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and polls. Paid tiers have even more perks, like early access and name recognition on the show. So join us on Patreon! patreon.com/bunnytrailspod

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This week Shauna and Dan put all their eggs into one basket and ask if that is a good plan or not. Bonus: Kobe Bryant, GI Joe, and Coin-Operated Medieval-Western Songs Seriously, Tele Novella is such a great band.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase Tough Cookie. Bonus: The Yellow Pages, Resilient Kids, and Anthropomorphic Desserts

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This week Shauna and Dan set out to see if the proof really is in the pudding. Bonus: Codfish Sherlock, Architectural Swansongs, and Puddings of the World

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This week Shauna admits to being a Night Owl as your hosts delve into the history of the phrase. Bonus: Cyclical fashions, Ginormoustest moons, and Dan knows more about owls than even he realized

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase under the table. The secret or clandestine one, not the drinking to excess one. Bonus: Book bans, French Culinary School, and friendly, neighborhood food merchants fighting demonic forces in Poland

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This week Shauna and Dan 'Jump on the Bandwagon' for books, songs, and sportsball. Bonus: Beanie Babies, Pogs, Humbuggeries, and James Cash Penny

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This week Shauna and Dan explore "Nip it in the Bud." Bonus: Barney Fife, Lancelot, and the War of 1812

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This week Shauna and Dan sing our swansong. Once again, we should have saved this type of phrase for the end of our show, but we have many more episodes still to come. Bonus: Merry madrigals, da Vinci's note books, and parodic poems about parting

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This week Shauna and Dan chew the fat and debunk some origin stories. Bonus: Soul-disco, teething children, and bored Cowboys

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This week Shauna and Dan burn all the bridges behind them. And sometimes boats. Or maybe they'll light a river on fire. Bonus: Failure is always an option

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This week Shauna and Dan try not to upset the apple cart. Bonus: The USA's earliest pen pals, wizardly cats, and Gudrun Lauret's disruptive creators (or possibly creative disruptors)

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, flash in the pan. Bonus: Hubble taking pictures of long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away, Epic burns of the 1600s, and Texas: the America of America.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, Pay the Piper. Bonus: Multicolored musicians, English History, and Horror Stories

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This week Shauna and Dan Throw Down the Gauntlet to see what origin story comes out on top. Bonus: Secret Societies, Wizardless Duels, and 80s movies Dan hasn't seen

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This week Shauna and Dan are feeling run into the ground. Join as they explore the possible origins of this phrase from farming to hunting and nautical to nonsense. Bonus: 17 less ads than Divorce Court in 1961

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This week Shauna and Dan have to pay the ferryman. Well, not exactly. Bonus: Charon, Commodores, and Chris de Burgh

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This week Shauna and Dan speak out against the silence with the phrase, Mums the Word. Bonus: Workers Rights, Charley's Men, and Stokyn Lyppis

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RETRO: This week Shauna and Dan ponder whether or not we are all in the same boat, or if we are just in the same body of water with some people on yachts while others are in little rowboats. Bonus: Egg frying, white-washed war bond ads, and Dan's great-great-grandmothers newspaper

Originally aired June 23, 2021

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This week Shauna and Dan get near the bottom of this elusive phrase. Bob's Your Uncle has several origin stories, but there's always been a missing link between the most popular story and the first time it could be verified in print. Well, until now. Check out this breaking news in the world of 130-year-old phrases!

Originally aired July 28, 2021.

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This week Shauna and Dan shoot for the moon! Bonus: A man in a button factory, Debunking internet myths, and Steve Irwin saves the day

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This week Shauna and Dan look into diamond in the rough and the two contemporary phases that merged to give us this phrase. Bonus: Dan learns something new, Your hosts accidentally take on the diamond cartel, and Shauna talks about a prison newspaper

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This week is a wild ride as Shauna and Dan explore the phrase Public Enemy No 1. Bonus: Poetic lyrical sons, Al Capone, and that time President Lincoln was taken hostage by... John Dillinger? Told you it would be a wild ride.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, Bite My Head Off. Which feels better than the earlier version of this phrase. Bonus: Grump Valentines, Chocolate Bunnies, and Praying Mantises all the way down

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This week Shauna and Dan discuss the fork in the road. Not ours, mind you. But someone's fork. Probably. Bonus: Religious parables, Yogi Berra, and Misremembering poems

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RETRO Episode: What are Ides? Why should we Beware the Ides of March? Should we beware the Ides of other months? Do other months even have Ides? Bonus: Calends, Nones, and Caesars

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This week Shauna and Dan wait for the other shoe to drop. Dan gets really excited to hear the rather basic origins of this phrase. Bonus: Boarding houses, Bob Cross, and park benches

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This week Shauna and Dan rack their brains to think of good phrases to explore. Okay, that was a bad joke. But rack my brain is a fun episode. Trust us. Bonus: Beatles, Rebuses, and rack vs wrack

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This week Shauna and Dan throw in the towel. Well, not really. Though Shauna did note we should have saved this phrase for our last episode. Alas. Bonus: Entrepreneurs, rich hillbillies, and so many boxing movies

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, Stick to Your Ribs. Bonus: Visits from series regulars John Ray, Edmund Burke, and Louise Pound, plus our favorite stick to your ribs books. Also, mac-daddi-roni!

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This week Shauna and Dan try to track down the figurative use of Jump Through Hoops, since people have literally been jumping through hoops since hoops were invented. Bonus: Shauna's hoops, bill paying in the 90s, and how your hosts brains work

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This week Shauna and Dan find out why there were canaries in coal mines, giving us this common phrase. Bonus: Anthropomorphic birds, the black lung, and that time in the late 80s when we solved a climate crisis through international cooperation

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This week Shauna and Dan take The Lion's Share. Apparently, this concept has been around since before English. (Shauna says Aesop didn't speak English. Citation Needed.) Bonus: Cheese mongers, pumpkin pies, and Walter with a banana joke

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This week Shauna and Dan look into the phrase "Cut the Mustard". Does this originate with the yellow mustard stuff, or perhaps from a mishearing of a military term? Bonus: Old political parties, bad internet habits, and a silly commercial from the 1980s

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This week Shauna and Dan get a new lease on life. Well, they look into the phrase, anyway. Bonus: Rhyming poems, sad commercials, and a hoarders dream come true!

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This week Shauna and Dan are joined by 'Words Christmas Gave Us' author Grace Tierney to talk about Christmas, Boxing Day (St. Stephens Day if you are in Ireland - Do NOT make that mistake), and fun holiday traditions. Happy holidays from all of us at Bunny Trails!

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It's that time of year! Shauna and Dan deep dive into the holiday phrase, Christmas Spirit. The feeling, not the ghosts. Bonus: Curmudgeonly old men, spirits pitching the Christmas spirit, and the great bagel vs donut debate.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Third Time's the Charm". Dan finally connects the dots on some similar phrases, too. Bonus: Existential dread, sandwich annihilation, and quilt-making in a weekend.

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This week Shauna and Dan call all aboard on the Gravy Train. Bonus: Dubious origins, bad maths, Pink Floyd, and poutine.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase Light Years Ahead. Bonus: Science terms, surprise parties, and how to live your best life - through organizational development. Probably.

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This week Shauna and Dan look back into the past to discover the origins of the phrase, Hindsight is 20/20. Bonus: Snellen Charts, Astronauts, and the Red Green Nation

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This week Shauna and Dan look into the phrase, 'Clear the Air' in both its literal and figurative forms. Bonus: Winds of truth, Dan's brilliance, and the little lies we tell

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the Skeleton in the Closet, sometimes known as the Skeleton in the Cupboard. Bonus: Gravestone battles, Jazz music, and literal skeletons in cupboards.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore why all roads lead to Rome. Bonus: 80s music, abstract art, and miles to McDonalds.

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In a mini episode this week, Shauna and Dan discuss the word "ice" and briefly look at two icy idioms; On Thin Ice and Break the Ice.

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A lean, tall clock stops the moment its owner dies. Is it an episode of The Twilight Zone or the catalyst for the term "Grandfather Clock?"

Bonus - The talent of Sam Lucas, plus Knickerbockers!

Outro Song: My Grandfathers Clock by H.C. Work, Arranged and performed by Michael Pugh, Shauna Harrison, Dan Pugh.

Originally Aired February 23, 2022

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Cut of His Jib". We also find out what in the heck a 'jib' is! Bonus: Jack Tar, Abstract Diptychs, and Singing in the Shower

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the gift of gab. Or sometimes, gob. Bonus: Fur babies, blarney stones, pet voices, and art appreciation

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This week Shauna and Dan delve into the phrase "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." Bonus: Dan pines for a Sister Act 3, Shauna steals coins from fountains, and Catholic Saints talk about when they should fast

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This week Shauna and Dan explore why we call an unknown person John Doe or Jane Doe. This has MUCH older history than we expected. Bonus: We yeet the Court Leet and Dan shows off his math skills

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This week Shauna and Dan discover that Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast is the bee's knees! Or at least we think so. It turns out, these two words together have had many meanings over the years before turning into something great. Bonus: Babe Ruth, Alanis Morissette, and the answer to everyone's question: Do bee's even have knees?

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This week Shauna and Dan dive into the phrase, Fish Out of Water. Dan questions if Chaucer ever played Dungeons and Dragons, while Shauna geeks out over fish who can walk on land. Bonus: Picket Lines and the Joys of Retirement

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, Talk is Cheap. Spoiler: This phrase was not coined by P.T. Barnum, despite the Internet's insistence to the contrary. Bonus: Vulgar Tongues, Singers & their bands, and Bacon desserts

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This week Shauna and Dan do their diligence to find out how to "Save My Bacon". Bonus: Bugbears, Budget Strategies, and controversial takes on what Country has the best bacon

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "Keeping Up With the Joneses". Along the way your hosts ponder what massive changes must happen in a 100 year life span and who would play Dan in a movie about his life. Bonus: An anthropologist talks sociology

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This week Shauna and Dan discover why someone would be the black sheep of a family. Warning: Dan knows absolutely nothing about sheep. And it shows.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "Heads Will Roll" featuring blood-lusting kings, murderous queens, and tyrannical dictators. Bonus: William Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll, and Beetlejuice.

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RETRO This week Shauna and Dan travel to Gettysburg to explore Civil War slang. They Acknowledge the Corn after they try to come the gum game, all while staying fit as a fiddle so they can see the elephant. BONUS: Learn how hardtack was like twinkies! #BunnyTrails

Originally Aired August 7, 2019

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, Reach Across the Aisle. Dan says it might be the most boring origin story they've ever done - seating charts. There's also a similar phrase in the United Kingdom. Bonus: Taylor Swift, Rock Churches, and one guy who watched 1,413 hours of the US House of Representatives meetings. Oof.

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RETRO: Shauna and Dan take a cool drink of gourd water this week as they explore the phrase Cool as a Cucumber. We learn Dan abhors cucumbers unless they've been drowned in vinegar and he dislikes some of the previous words for cucumbers. It seems some old-timey folks disliked them, too. Bonus discussion: is cereal a soup? Copyright 2024 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

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This week Shauna and Dan look at the phrase, "Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades", which is way more modern than Dan thought. Also, Shauna points out Clydesdale horses bring their own Ugg boots to the party, while Dan notes that trebuchets are the superior siege engines. Bonus: Shippy Shippers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for the color vision deficient crowd (mostly Dan). And did you know the United Kingdom once listed horseshoes as an "uncivilized game"?

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This week Shauna and Dan dive into the phrase "Soup to Nuts". Bonus: The Irish phrase "To take the soup", the Three Stooges, and gloves versus mittens.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "Tickled Pink". Bonus: Tickled to Death, Pinkalicious, and Secretly loving hated books

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This week Shauna and Dan yell at the TV like good armchair quarterbacks should. You might think this phrase started with American Football, but if you thought that you'd be wrong. Bonus: Travellers, Critics, Strategists, and Generals

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This week Shauna and Dan explore what happens when all hell breaks loose. Bonus: Sharks, Commutes, and Paradise Lost.

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This week Shauna and Dan look into the origins of Saved by the Bell. Spoiler alert: It does NOT come from taphophobia, or the fear of being buried alive. That is a particularly persistent myth with no evidence to support it. Bonus: Dan crushes on Kelly, Lisa, and Jessie. Plus, SPORTS!

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This week Shauna and Dan delve into the phrase, Cradle to the Grave. Dan prefers the contemporary term, Womb to the Tomb, but we know he has a simple mind and likes rhyming things. Bonus: Shauna enjoys metal music, plus your hosts discuss awesome names.

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If Shauna and Dan had a nickel for every episode of Bunny Trails they released, they'd have $11.60, which isn't alot, but it's not nothing. Bonus: Rich women of the Barony of Glenard, Mark Twain, and Memes.

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This week Shauna and Dan delve into two similar phrases, Law of the Jungle and It's a Jungle Out There. And yes, we talk about Kipling and Disney again. Bonus: Dan becomes an art critic. Shauna fails to choose a fruit.

Remember to drink respectfully.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the surprising origins of pie in the sky. From workers rights to great British actors this episode has tons of cool facts! Bonus: Biggest meal of the day

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This week Shauna and Dan take a look at the Calm Before The Storm. Then quickly learn there is SO MUCH MORE to this phrase! Join them on a whimsical adventure to explore the calm before and after the tempest.

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This week Shauna and Dan look into the phrase, a Tough Nut to Crack. Dan gets super confused about the history of window blinds and then does a quick Aaron Neville impression. Bonus: The best Superman actors

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This week Shauna and Dan try not to Fly Off the Handle as the dig into old dictionaries and early uses of the phrase. Bonus: Maine becomes a State, Buddy Rich, and our favorite pen colors.

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This week Shauna and Dan decide to Speak of the Devil. Or sometimes, Talk of the Devil. Which do you say when someone you were just talking about shows up? Bonus: The devil has rattling bones and Dan hates horror games.

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This week Shauna and Dan look into the whole kit and caboodle. Interesting, both of the phrases existed by themselves before they made common cause to outlast many of their rival phrases. Bonus: Make-up tackleboxes, planting people, and clowns!

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This week Shauna and Dan talk about spitting into the wind. Gross. Fortunately, there is an early phrase that is less gross. Bonus: Our thanks to archivists, language researchers, and other professional word nerds. Also, combatants fighting the invisible opponents.

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RETRO: This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase Crossing the Rubicon. Dan takes a guess at the origin of this phrase, but can't even get the right "ancient crosser of things". It's a mix of Crash Course World History and etymological fun on this week's Bunny Trails! Don't forget to be awesome!

Originally aired March 24, 2021.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "when pigs fly". This one comes to English from Latin, and was quite a bit longer than the phrase we use today. Bonus: Reese's Peanut Butter Blobs and other holiday candy.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "not my cup of tea". Bonus: The silk road, black drag culture, and the age old question: Sunrise or Sunset?

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This week Shauna and Dan discuss the origins of the phrase Pecking Order. Bonus: Dan shares a secret, Shauna rolls a Nat 20 on charisma, and Dan gives you a new way to read Lord of the Flies.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore what it means to be on pins and needles. Bonus: Shauna reviews tiny artwork while Dan fawns over children's books. Plus which would you rather be, a cheerleader or the mascot?

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "hell freezes over". We start with the concept of hell and how it became to be known as an eternal, fiery place. Then we look at all the interesting ways this phrase has been used. Bonus: Dan hates speedboats, Shauna stans Doré, and we answer the question of bad hair cut or bad dye job.

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Welcome to our 7th season of Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast! This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase cold feet. Shauna gets cold feet on the subject of corns while Dan finally learns what corns even are. Bonus: The great onion ring vs fry debate.

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This week Shauna and Dan learn why we call those pesky emails spam messages. Bonus: The first spam messages (way older that you might think) and why Hormel's canned meat is called SPAM.

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We are digging into the archives this week to bring you the Christmas Spirit. Plus we talk No Spoilers about the new Christmas musical, Spirited. Then we jump into a RETRO episode on Christmas phrases, originally released December 23, 2020.

This week we get into the Christmas Spirit while talking about the Christmas Blues. New plan, let's talk about both! Learn about some of your favorite holiday idioms. Plus, the origins of "White Elephant" gift exchanges. It's all here for your holiday enjoyment on Bunny Trails!

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This week Shauna and Dan discover why a rolling stone gathers no moss. Bonus: Dan confuses moss for algae, Shauna forgets about Mick Jagger, and introverts unite. Also, did you know a rolling stone gathers no potato chips? Do with that information what you will.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the history of the snowball effect. Bonus: Snowpersons, Science Fiction Matriarchs, and Snake Oil Sales Folk. Double Bonus: Air travel tips!

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This week Shauna and Dan make a podcast easy as pie. Though Dan points out that making a pie from scratch isn't always that easy. Bonus: The rankine scale, dream interpretations, and doodlewash.

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This week Shauna and Dan celebrate life with a ticker tape parade! What is ticker tape? When was the first ticker tape parade? Bonus: Bad budgets and pool parties.

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This week Shauna and Dan review why birds of a feather tend to flock together. Bonus: Pictures of cats before the internet, Dodos in the magical world, and Dan gets lost in armed robbery.

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Shauna and Dan explore the treachery of being stabbed in the back. Bonus: Ancient Greeks, World War II, and the most hated household cleaning jobs.

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This week Shauna and Dan pass the podcasting test "with flying colors"! We explore flags, heralds, banners, and even liveries to find the origins of this phrase. Bonus: Synonyms with Roget, Crowsnests with Ensign Crusher, and Georgian Portia's with Miss Ferguson. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan decide if they are as hungry as a horse or if they are so hungry they could eat a horse. Better question, would they eat the saddle, too? Bonus: Hungry like a wolf, oxen, hawk, and farmhand. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan reach the last straw. The final straw. The straw that broke the camel's back. Also, apparently, of feathers and horses. Bonus: Alliterative anthropomorphic animals, Habitual nuns, and a request of xkcd.

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This week Shauna and Dan go back to school to learn a history of the United States legislative bodies to help understand the idiomatic phrase, Act of Congress. Spoiler: The USA is predictable throughout its entire history so far. #BunnyTrails

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RETRO: Shauna and Dan dig into the origins of Jump the Shark while documenting the phrases shift from TV failures to a plethora of topics. As a bonus, there are shows that ran for years after supposedly jumping the shark and other shows that jumped the shark twice! Despite the negative phrase it's all Happy Days on this week's #BunnyTrails

Originally aired January 26, 2022.

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This week Shauna and Dan delve into the history books to learn about Fighting Tooth and Nail, including when we started adding word like "fight" in front of the more common "tooth and nail". Bonus: Hipster Blacksmiths, Cultist Communions, and the best Stage Musicals. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase bite the bullet. We discover the predecessor phrase and debunk several origination myths for this one. Bonus: Valets, Sepoys, and Artificial Intelligence. 

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, Albatross Around Your Neck. Shauna delves into the etymology of albatross with some pretty cool connections. Bonus: Cubism, Lisa Loeb glasses, and Dan talking to the FBI person who is listening in on the recordings. 

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This week Shauna and Dan explore heartstrings and their journey from literal, though misunderstood supporting structures to the marionette strings of your emotions. Bonus: Sad animated films, underused guitarists, and the best pizza places.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the spookiness behind Ghost Town. Shauna talks about old mining towns while Dan talks about the Gettysburg battlefields. Bonus: The great Coke vs Pepsi debate has a surprise winner. 

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What happens when we, as speakers of a language, just decide to misquote a phrase until it takes on a life of its own? You get something like "Gild the Lily". Hear Shauna swoon over Heath Ledger in a Knight's Tale while Dan treks through Oscar Wilde shade, bad technicolor movies, and puppy-sized elephants to tell this week's story on #BunnyTrails.

Originally aired December 29, 2021.

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This week Shauna and Dan delve into the phrase, "Fourth Wall". Whether it's Deadpool, Jim Halpert, or Zack Morris, breaking that Fourth Wall is part of performance art. Bonus: Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, Don Gruffo, and Light bulbs.

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This week Shauna and Dan practice forgiveness as they explore the phrase, Let Bygones be Bygones. Bonus: Truth bombs from lyrical genius Tupac Shakur and Cobra mercenary Major Bludd. Plus... unicycles? #BunnyTrails

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What is a Hang Ten? How does one Hang Loose? Is it bad to Drop In? This week Shauna and Dan talk about their recent first time surfing and all the slang that goes with it. Bonus: Surfing Etiquette, the word 'brah', and traveling the world. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan try to go forward in a straight line while discussing the origins of the term, back track. Spoiler, they bunny trail anyway. Bonus: Dan gets angry with a guy from 1829, Shauna talks early FPS games for the Game Boy Advance, and our Patrons show some to San Diego.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the southern standby, that dog won't hunt. Did you know there is an early version featuring roosters? Bonus: US Presidents, Outlaw Country Music, and Hot vs Cold Coffee. 

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This week Shauna and Dan talk about the insect idioms that have crawled their way into the English language. Bonus: Phineas and Ferb, a foxtrot, and legendary scary monsters.

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This week Shauna and Dan get spooky with Give Up the Ghost. This one is fascinating as it has remained mostly unchanged for 900+ years, though it's early usage wasn't meant to be figurative. Bonus: Generational Labels, Zany cartoon characters, and Shakespeare's rhyming schemes. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan explore all that has been lost to the mists of time. Well, at least the phrase; which sounds spooky and spiritual. And maybe it is. Bonus: Calvin and Hobbes, peer pressure from dead people, amazing museums, and rhyming poems. 

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the flattering phrase, to butter someone up. The origins are a bit murky, but we'll explore some popular theories. Bonus: Spanish Idioms, Friendsgiving, and Great Captains. #BunnyTrails

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RETRO: Shauna and Dan return from Chicago armed with numerous parts of what newspaperman Mike Ryoko called "Chicagoese". We take a good look at the origins of Calling Dibs before doing snippets of other words and phrases like Ferris Wheel, Jinx, Pipe Dream, and more. Bonus: Dan wishes he knew I-290 was gonna be called the Eisenhower. It would have saved him so many headaches. More bonuses: Italian Beef, Hot Dogs, and Gluten-Free Donuts. Originally aired July 7, 2021 Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

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RETRO: Dan gets an earworm and it turns into an entire episode on the phrase, "Pardon My French". Cause that's how it goes sometimes. This week our phrase moves from the early 1800s literal usage to a current way to excuse bad language, with plenty of high points along the way. #BunnyTrails Originally aired May 19, 2021 Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

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Dan hates on cucumbers. And a popular children's book series. And a popular TV mockumentary. But he is helpful in defining what a rundown is in baseball. Shauna explores a light history of pickling and the origins of "In a Pickle" on this week's #BunnyTrails.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, My Goodness. How can My Goodness euphemistically refer to a god, when the words god and good are not etymologically related? And did Shakespeare start this one? Bonus: John Gilroy's Guinness campaign and Goldilocks' mattress.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, Face the Music. Dan turns into an old man and yells at clouds while Shauna misses Bill and Ted. Bonus: Dan confuses Hugh Grant and John Hannah, then shares his dice collection. #BunnyTrails

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RETRO: Science fiction and science fact collide this week as Shauna and Dan discuss the origins and fun pre-history of the word "earworm". And then they talk all about those songs that just won't leave your brain! But don't worry, there is hope as they talk about possible cures, too. So much practical knowledge on this week's #BunnyTrails! Originally aired January 6, 2021.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "Don't know him from Adam". Also works with 'her from Adam'. Or 'her from Eve'. Or so many other pronouns. Bonus: Georgian London Criminal Court, Christmas movies, and School Lunches. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Barking Up the Wrong Tree". This episode is full of outlandish stories including an interesting tale by David Crockett, who preferred not to use the childlike moniker, Davy. Also, Shauna calls everyone born in 1980 or earlier "old". Bonus: Locutus of Borg, professional drivers, and the largest bear in all of America. Probably.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "Airing Your Dirty Laundry". Except originally, it wasn't "airing". Nor was it "laundry". And on occasion, it wasn't even "dirty". Bonus: Modern Major Generals, Fancy Shower Curtains, and jilted musicians. Also, stick around for the post-credit scene if you like bad jokes.

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "At a Crossroads", which has a strong association with blues legend Robert Johnson. Bonus: Search engine optimization in the 1700s and cool pet names. Also, how do you pronounce gnocchi?

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Did you know "If you give them an inch, they'll take a mile" wasn't the original usage for this phrase? And the original usage stuck around until the mid 1900s? This week on #BunnyTrails Shauna and Dan explore the origins and past of this saucy phrase.

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Harry S. Truman was known for his metaphorical way of speaking. This week's phrase, "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen" was one he helped popularize. But where did it come from? Even Truman himself credits different people at different times. So join us as we explore this phrase. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the fast burning phrase, The Rabbit Died. We talk the history of early pregnancy tests and how that led to this interesting phrase. Along the way we hear about several TV shows that used the phrase and then talk about Billy Crystal doing CPR on a bunny. Fun times. #BunnyTrails

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Shauna and Dan explore the money-grabbing phrase, Line Your Pockets. Along the way, we learn about Dan's dainty wallet, the Peculiar Miss Pickett, and how George Washington was against price gouging. #BunnyTrails

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In this RETRO episode, we'll answer the age old question, Can you teach an old dog new tricks? Spoiler Alert: You can. Shauna and Dan talk vocal discrimination, materialism in the early 1900s, the downside of Martin Van Buren, and PCs vs Macs. Dan finds a new favorite song while also recognizing the although way we argue has changed, the fact that we are mean to each other when not speaking face to face hasn't changed at all. #BunnyTrails Copyright 2023 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase Something to Write Home About. In it, we learn that old-timey writers couldn't call a whale a whale. Bonus: Presidential Prison Dentists, Shauna struggles with geography, and we decide the best oceans - once we figure out what an ocean even is. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan explore a southern work of art with "Bless Your Heart". Don't let the fact that it precedes the United States deter you from learning more about this versatile phrase. Bonus: Godzilla, Ms. Lewis' Third Thursday Ladies, and zucchini pickles. #BunnyTrails

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This week Dan ponders why he lives in a place where the air hurts his face and he and Shauna explore the phrase Dead of Winter. Bonus: Made up bands, magical self-cleaning kitchens, and the meme-tastic Samuel Johnson. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the borrowed phrase, Quid Pro Quo. Dan laments not learning any Latin in school, while Shauna boasts about her High School teacher who added a little culture to her learning. Plus, what do you call it when the hair on your arm stands and end and gets all bumpy? All this and more on this weeks #BunnyTrails.

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This week Dan takes 30 minutes to issue a retraction for something said in episode 159: Best Thing Since Sliced Bread. But we weren't alone in this mistaken information. Newspapers, governments, and historical websites were all taken in by a hoax on who invented this household appliance. Join us as we explore a long-running Wikipedia hoax and dive deep to find who really invented the electric toaster. #BunnyTrails 

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Just deserts doesn't have anything to do with sweets, but Shauna has a tip to help you spell the sweet treat versus the arid climate. Bonus: Dating/Alien-Fighting Sims, Paul Newman (but not that one), and choosing between too hot or too cold.

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We are digging into the archives this week to bring you the Christmas Spirit. Plus we talk No Spoilers about the new Christmas musical, Spirited. Then we jump into a RETRO episode on Christmas phrases, originally released December 23, 2020.

This week we get into the Christmas Spirit while talking about the Christmas Blues. New plan, let's talk about both! Learn about some of your favorite holiday idioms. Plus, the origins of "White Elephant" gift exchanges. It's all here for your holiday enjoyment on Bunny Trails!

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This week, Shauna and Dan discuss the origins and usage of "Witching Hour". Along the way they talk DC comics, Ann Rice, and metal bands. Warning, Dan gives spoilers for the 1990 movie, Ghost. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan open a can of worms which leads them to angry Canadians, military leadership, how the District of Columbia is governed, and French thrash/death metal. Bonus: David Sedaris, Olympic scandals that aren't what you think they are, and composting. #BunnyTrails

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Thanksgiving and the World Cup conspired to interfere with the recording schedule. So you get a RETRO episode. Dan finds the Christmas season to be the spookiest of all, so he has selected episode 127: Penny Dreadful as this week's topic. It originally aired October 6, 2021.

Dan is an uncultured swine and did not know what a Penny Dreadful was. Shauna educates him and explores the origins of and alternative names to this popular literary phenomenon from the 1800s. Special thanks to Victorian Britain for making this episode possible.

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This week Shauna and Dan answer the serious questions. Are bats really blind? What is a brickbat? And how many 80s cartoons can Dan reference in one episode? All this and more on this week's #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan look at the phrase "A Watched Pot Never Boils". This one is frequently misattributed, though not in the way you might think. Bonus: Art we can't see, songs we can't share, and places we can't visit. #BunnyTrails

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Have you ever felt boxed in? Like you just wanted to get away? Shauna and Dan explore "The Great Outdoors" this week to help you capture that feeling.

Bonus: Bird smells, 80s music, and a plethora of the Arizona Republican. #BunnyTrails

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If dogs are man's best friend, then why do we need to let sleeping dogs lie? And what about sleeping giants? Bonus: Fievel Mousekewitz, dark secrets, and time traveling ethics, all on this week's #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "Jump for Joy" and are surprised by its predecessor phrases. Dan rants about forks. Shauna and Dan both so off their skills with marine biology. Who do you think could jump higher, a dolphin or a seal? Silliness abounds on this week's #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "Jump for Joy" and are surprised by its predecessor phrases. Dan rants about forks. Shauna and Dan both so off their skills with marine biology. Who do you think could jump higher, a dolphin or a seal? Silliness abounds on this week's #BunnyTrails

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Why do we say sell like hotcakes? Does the answer have anything to do with early spam messages? Why do the Brits eat pancakes on Mardi Gras? Will Dan practice what he preaches when he says, "Words belong to their users"? So many question, but also so many answers on this week's #BunnyTrails

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Why do we say sell like hotcakes? Does the answer have anything to do with early spam messages? Why do the Brits eat pancakes on Mardi Gras? Will Dan practice what he preaches when he says, "Words belong to their users"? So many question, but also so many answers on this week's #BunnyTrails

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This week, Shauna and Dan track down some serious cuteness. This one is still a mystery as to why it is said, but your hosts debunk several myths about it in the process. Bonus: Shauna teaches Dan some new slang. Plus a song that is just pick-up lines. #BunnyTrails

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This week, Shauna and Dan track down some serious cuteness. This one is still a mystery as to why it is said, but your hosts debunk several myths about it in the process. Bonus: Shauna teaches Dan some new slang. Plus a song that is just pick-up lines. #BunnyTrails

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This week the goose is cooked. Well, Shauna and Dan make the case that because geese were so popular during a particular time of year that many people cooked them. And that's why we call piloerection "goosebumps" and not "duckbumps" or "pigeonbumps", at least in English. But before goosebumps, we called it a few other things, too. Join us this week to find out more! #bunnytrails

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This week Shauna and Dan dodge traffic as they explore the phrase, Under the Bus. Even though it is a relatively recent addition to the English language, there are plenty of examples to use! Plus Shauna explains to Dan TicTok jargon, then she fawns over the smell of books. 

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This week, Shauna and Dan look at the phrase Keep an Eye On, along with its variants throughout the years - most of which are still frequently used today. Bonus: Diana Ross, French dark comedies, and tandem surfing. #BunnyTrails

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Join Shauna and Dan as they dive deep into this Latin phrase. Did Caesar really come up with this one? Why is it three neat words in Latin, but twice that in English? Who is better, Nas or Lil Nas X? All that and more on this week's #BunnyTrails

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Join Shauna and Dan as they dive deep into this Latin phrase. Did Caesar really come up with this one? Why is it three neat words in Latin, but twice that in English? Who is better, Nas or Lil Nas X? All that and more on this week's #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan start with the Old English definition of clouds and work their way through gods, science, and a mansplainy Italian to tell the story of "Head in the Clouds". 

Bonus: An English sheep-shearing de facto dad. Plus Star Trek vs Star Wars. #BunnyTrails

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Shauna and Dan are full of joy and whimsy as they tackle a gloomy phrase in Under the Weather. Maybe it means you are sick or maybe it means you are drunk. Or in some rare cases maybe you are having some financial difficulties. But the biggest question of all... does this really have nautical origins? And if so... why do we first see it in print from a Texas Revolutionary? We have some, but not all, the answers on this week's #BunnyTrails!

Originally aired January 20, 2021.

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This week we visit beautiful Costa Rica to learn how to live Pura Vida - the pure life. We learn why the people of Costa Rica are known as Ticos and explore how Pura Vida informs many facets of Tico society. Bonus talk about great food like Gallo Pinto and Casado! #BunnyTrails

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What do Star Trek and Gandhi have in common? How about Martin Luther King Jr and Teddy Roosevelt? They all get misquoted with some regularity. We explore several misquotes and misattributions on this week's #BunnyTrails

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What do Star Trek and Gandhi have in common? How about Martin Luther King Jr and Teddy Roosevelt? They all get misquoted with some regularity. We explore several misquotes and misattributions on this week's #BunnyTrails

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Do ever find yourself on social media and someone says something... um... problematic... and you know you just can't let it go? If yes, than you've joined us in pouring oil on the fire. Bonus content as we talk oil drilling, horse racing, butt emojis, and what to do on a rainy evening. It's the most fun anyone could have. Maybe. #BunnyTrails

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Which came first, the toaster or sliced bread? I suppose it depends on how you define sliced bread, really. And while there are many things we might say are “the best thing since sliced bread”, I’ve always wondered what was the best thing BEFORE sliced bread? All that and more on this week's #BunnyTrails

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This week mixes entomology with etymology as Dan explores the phrase Queen Bee. For thousands of years we called them King Bees, despite knowing for a good portion of that time the leader of the honey bee colony was female. Spoiler alert: It's Aristotle's fault. Well, his and everyone else who contributed (and still contributes) to systemic discrimination in nearly all our institutions. But thanks to Charles Butler and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Bee broke free!   We have earworms, Twitter threads, and long book titles in store for this week's Bunny Trails!  

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This week it's not rocket science. Or is it? Well, this week is definitely some maths, science, biology, chemistry, and engineering. Join us!!!  

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This week is a Piece of Cake as Dan tackles the solo episode. Along the way we hear more World War 2 slang and learn about the Driveotron, a 1960s driving simulator. #BunnyTrails  

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Newfangled? Old-fangled? What about simply fangled? Which is correct?

Bonus: Crotchety crocheting, Red Dead Redemption, and why ribbons are better than buckles. Also, taxes.

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This week Dan has lost his voice, so here is a mini-episode from Shauna with a little info on the phrase, "Lose Your Voice". See you again next week! #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan explore a sunny phrase in "Look on the Bright Side'. Dan talks about the definitive color of barns, while Shauna geeks out over someone's sweater collection. Plus, which word is better, "indefatigable" or "moist"?

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Does "Stir the Pot" mean causing trouble or does it mean challenging the status quo? Could it be both? Maybe even both at the same time? We delve into that, along with bonus chats about second-hand anxiety, growing 'to be read' lists, and the proper way to say 2022. All on this week's #BunnyTrails. 

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Shauna and Dan spent the past few days helping refugees find safe housing, so it's time for a RETRO episode. They share their likes... and dislikes... about this old episode before re-learning about inkle-weaving and the closeness that comes with being "thick as thieves". #BunnyTrails

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Team Rubicon

International Rescue Committee

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast

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Shauna and Dan dive into the ancient Greek mythos to start exploring the Latin phrase In Vino Veritas. It's philosophers and chianti, Doc Holliday and Malbec, plus 22 year old Song of the Year contenders on this week's #BunnyTrails

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Have you ever been in a meeting, or at a conference, or maybe in class, and someone gives the group something to do to help everyone get more comfortable? We call those ice-breakers. And breaking the ice is our subject this week.   Bonus: Small talk like the weather, divorces that create religions, and the biggest contradictions in society. Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

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Imagine you are reading a suspense novel and you can’t quite tell who the bad guy is. Is the person holding the weapon always the one responsible for a person’s death? Who really has... blood on their hands?

It's Shakespeare, early 1900s minimal wage issues, and animated/live action hybrids on this heavy-themed #BunnyTrails

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Have you heard someone use the phrase “avoid it like the plague” and then immediately wonder if that phrase even has the same meaning anymore, given the western response to COVID? This week we explore several phrases that may be evolving over the next few generations. Bonus: Quakers, Black Holes, and Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

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Have you ever felt like the weather was trying to ruin your day? Or how some people seem to get involved in something - a certain type of business or perhaps politics - and their entire purpose seems to be making things worse for others? We might just say they are "playing the devil".   Bonus: Dan's worst suburban dad nightmare. Also, Asmodeus makes an appearance. Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

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Is there such a thing as elbow grease for a human body? (Yes, actually.)  Does the phrase mean rubbing something vigorously, or just hard work in general? Or perhaps does it have to do with the stink of sweat.

As a bonus, find out what word Dan misspelled so bad that even Google couldn't figure out what he meant! All on this week's #BunnyTrails.

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Remember how it felt the first time your crush looked at you? Or the first time you were about to perform on stage? Or the night before your first day at a new job?

This week Shauna and Dan explore Butterflies in My Stomach. Shauna dispels some personal myths about our phrase while Dan learns about BTS, one of the most popular bands in the world. Forgive him K-Pop stans... he is old. Plus Lord of the Rings versus Chronicles of Narnia. #BunnyTrails

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A lean, tall clock stops the moment its owner dies. Is it an episode of The Twilight Zone or the catalyst for the term "Grandfather Clock?" 

Bonus - The talent of Sam Lucas, plus Knickerbockers!

Outro Song: My Grandfathers Clock by H.C. Work, Arranged and performed by Michael Pugh, Shauna Harrison, Dan Pugh.

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Could you get enough feathers from the dead birds in a clock tower to pull an Icarus? Was Daedalus able to do it with just the two birds he killed with one stone? Wait... was this where the phrase comes from?! No. No it wasn't. Shauna talks French. Dan talks mullets. Everyone stans a good murder mystery. All on this week's #BunnyTrails Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

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Elevators have been around since the 3rd century, though we didn't call them "elevators" at the time. But how did we go from lifting grain to selling something to an unsuspecting fellow passenger? That story involves total quality management and statistics. We swear, it's more fun than it sounds. Bonus: Riding epic steads into battle for the sake of human kind. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna continues to buck the trends as she tackles another happy phrase in Happy as a Clam. Dan makes deep cuts about late 90s music while Shauna tells really bad jokes from the 1800s. Bonus: An entire conversation about board games, booklet games, computer games, and more on this week's #BunnyTrails

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Shauna and Dan dig into the origins of Jump the Shark while documenting the phrases shift from TV failures to a plethora of topics. As a bonus, there are shows that ran for years after supposedly jumping the shark and other shows that jumped the shark twice! Despite the negative phrase it's all Happy Days on this week's #BunnyTrails Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

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Join Shauna the Wise and Dan the Humble as they talk about the Olympics, Science Fiction, and... Doctor Doofenshmirtz?   It's all about the phrase "Heart of Gold" on this week's #BunnyTrails. Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

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What is a butterfly kiss? Is it a light kiss with the lips? A soft brush from the eyelashes? A teasing kiss meant to drive you to lustful purchases? At some point in time, it was all of those at once. But which came first? And from where?   Plus, hear bonus conversations about women's clothing sizes, the prolific author who was also the Queen of Romania, and two songs Dan never wants to hear again all on this week's #BunnyTrails  

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This episode is inspired by the raw emotions of a teenager as we explore the word scar and the phrase "Scarred for Life". Dan quotes many animated 90s movies. Shauna waxes poetic. Dan creates new baseball team mascots. #BunnyTrails   Note: Dan's mic is a little wonky on this one. But fortunately Shauna does most of the talking. We'll get that fixed. Copyright 2022 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

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What happens when we, as speakers of a language, just decide to misquote a phrase until it takes on a life of its own? You get something like "Gild the Lily". Hear Shauna swoon over Heath Ledger in a Knight's Tale while Dan treks through Oscar Wilde shade, bad technicolor movies, and puppy-sized elephants to tell this week's story on #BunnyTrails.

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How long can a chicken live without its head? Despite internet stories to the contrary, running around like a headless chicken doesn't come from chickens, nor does it come from a literal removal of the head. You can get the real story on this week's #BunnyTrails. Bonus: Procrastination tips and time travel. Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

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Shauna and Dan talk about the ancient phrase, never look a gift horse in the mouth. What would $200,000 in 1912 be worth today? Is it true you can tell the age of a horse by looking at its teeth?  What is the best ice cream flavor? Listen now, because we have answers to one of those questions on this week's #BunnyTrails

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Shauna and Dan take a cool drink of gourd water this week as they explore the phrase Cool as a Cucumber. We learn Dan abhors cucumbers unless they've been drowned in vinegar and he dislikes some of the previous words for cucumbers. It seems some old-timey folks disliked them, too. Bonus discussion: is cereal a soup? #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan look into the phrase, Right Up My Street, and its counterpart, Right Up My Alley. Plus, a bonus look into the origin story of Sob Sister, an early 20th Century term for women reporters. #BunnyTrails

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This week we learn it's not just a picture that paints a thousand words. Join Shauna and Dan as they explore the other ways a thousand words have been used. Plus, Dan's musical mind disease. And we learn which came first, sliced bread or the toaster. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan look at all the things that could have gone wrong, and how they actually did. Well... sort of. We look at the phrase Murphy's Law. We step into the bitter feud that seems to exist here and look at how this phrase from the 1800s got named, maybe, in the 1940s. We just present the facts as we know them. Don't at us. Or do. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase Every Rose Has Its Thorn. We learn the Hawthorne rose can cause loss of vision if the torn scratches the cornea of your eye. How is this helpful? Shauna knows. It's medical journals, farthings, calf-boots, and classic rock on this week's #BunnyTrails

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Shauna and Dan explore the phrase 'bull in a china shop'. They start with silly songs before imagining Cary Grant and the Golden Girls in an old-timey murder mystery. Then it's dance battles between high school principals before settling down with a refined bovine enjoying a spot of tea. Plus a new segment to end the show! #BunnyTrails

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WERE-PANTHERS?!   Dan introduces you to this retro episode on dead as a doornail where he and Shauna discuss the origins of door-nails and alternate phrases like dour as a doornail and dead as a herring. A HERRING!!! Plus, sage building advice from the writings of Bob Villa.  

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This week Shauna and Dan look at the history of "Silent as...", such as silent as the night and silent as the grave. Dan shares a creepy story, then messes up the outro. Shauna talks XXX, which is either pornography or roman numerals. #BunnyTrails #AfterDark

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Shauna and Dan explore why the lion is called the King of the Jungle when they don't live in jungles. Turns out, our view of what "jungle" means today may be heavily skewed by the pop culture of the late-1800s and mid-1960s. Looking at you, Rudyard Kipling. Bonus conversations about mockbusters, animated 90s movies, and the great con artist PT Barnum. #BunnyTrails

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Dan is an uncultured swine and did not know what a Penny Dreadful was. Shauna educates him and explores the origins and alternative names to this popular literary phenomenon from the 1800s. Special thanks to Victorian Britain for making this episode possible. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan discuss the concepts of "Keeping Score". From its Old Norse roots to the sports and marriages of today. With appearances by pretentious kitchen appliances, Durant/Durant, and bartenders with a word about P's & Q's. Catch it all on this week's #BunnyTrails!

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the numerous origin stories of the phrase get down to brass tacks. Does it come to use from rhyming slang or coffin nails? Or perhaps furniture making or clothing materials. Or does it come to us from an older phrase not having anything to do with brass tacks? Find out on this week's #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan talk with author Grace Tierney about her new book, Words the Vikings Gave Us. From Bluetooth to Narwhal, the Old Norse language gave or influenced some of English's most well-known words. Plus there's talk of Vikings the TV show, the Viking role in the unicorn mythos, and Norse inspirations in video games.  #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan talk about how the pupil is a hole in your eye, but is also sorta shaped like an apple. Kinda? Anyway, you can be the apple of our eyes by listening to the show and sharing it with others! 

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From bartenders to school children, clothing to dancing, typesetting to top quality, everyone and their dog has an idea about where this phrase comes from. Shauna and Dan explore the likely origin stories to help debunk the myths and narrow down the options on this week's #BunnyTrails

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Dan is sick, so Shauna revisits an episode that originally aired in November 2018! 

Ever wonder who would anyone want to beat, or flog, a dead horse? Well, wonder no more, as Shauna and Dan explore the progression from a pointless act to money owed, and eventually back to pointless act. Hint... the popularity of the phrase as we use it today has close ties to politics. Who'd have thunk it?!? 

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Apparently, there has been plenty of fish in the sea since the late 1500s... which seems weird for everyone except maybe Aquaman and the Incredible Mr. Limpet. Which, coincidentally, are two references we don't even make in the episode. It's time to get back to the dating grind with #BunnyTrails! (Or don't. We love and support you either way.)

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Shauna and Dan dip into the world of invigorating energy as they explore the phrase Young Blood. Or is that the world of inexperience? Turns out, it's both! They explore this 500+-year-old phrase with the help of hopeful politicians, angry preachers, video games, movies, and songs on this week's #BunnyTrails!

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This week Shauna and Dan offer no apologies as they explore the phrase "Mea Culpa" and the more recent version "My Bad". Along the way, they discuss loan words, Garfield and Friends, and Albert Einstein. It's classic #BunnyTrails!

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This week Shauna and Dan get near the bottom of this elusive phrase. Bob's Your Uncle has several origin stories, but there's always been a missing link between the most popular story and the first time it could be verified in print. Well, until now. Check out this breaking news in the world of 130-year-old phrases! #BunnyTrails

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From Aesop’s Fables to the Bible, Shauna and Dan look at how A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing made it into English and how we still use it today. Along the way, we learn Dan believes in aliens, mostly cause as Shauna says, "Space: There’s a lot of it." Bonus: Dan mixes up baby bears and baby wolves for no apparent reason.

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Shauna and Dan return from Chicago armed with numerous parts of what newspaperman Mike Ryoko called "Chicagoese". We take a good look at the origins of Calling Dibs before doing snippets of other words and phrases like Ferris Wheel, Jinx, Pipe Dream, and more. Bonus: Dan wishes he knew I-290 was gonna be called the Eisenhower. It would have saved him so many headaches. More bonuses: Italian Beef, Hot Dogs, and Gluten Free Donuts. 

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Shauna and Dan take a stand! Okay, not really. But they do explore the origins and history surrounding the phrase "Change Your Tune", which starts with CHANGE relating to behaviors since the 1300s! Bonus - An 1894 newspaper out of Arizona might have the coolest name ever. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan ponder whether or not we are all in the same boat. We find a plethora of amazing resources to track this phrase from its entry to English in the early 1600s and its steadfast definitions through today. 

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This week Shauna and Dan learn the UK version "Put Your Foot in It" came before the US version "Put Your Foot in Your Mouth". Which calls in to question... if "it" wasn't mouth... what was it? We may never know. But we do have fun with the history of this phrase and the cool and sometimes gross ways it's been used over the years. #BunnyTrails

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Shauna and Dan join the circus, become one-trick ponies, then move to a variety of song and dance numbers before settling on futuristic robots and Dungeons and Dragons characters. It'll all make sense if you listen to the show. #BunnyTrails

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Shauna and Dan join the circus, become one-trick ponies, then move to a variety of song and dance numbers before settling on futuristic robots and Dungeons and Dragons characters. It'll all make sense if you listen to the show. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan see how confused they can make the other one with the phrase Muddy the Waters. From camels to Nietzsche, Fatboy to Mary Wollstonecraft, and Aesop to a Blues legend, this phrase can be found in many places. Bonus: Dan thinks about feudalism. Hoorah. #BunnyTrails

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Dan gets an earworm and it turns into an entire episode on the phrase, "Pardon My French". Cause that's how it goes sometimes. This week our phrase moves from the early 1800s literal usage to a current way to excuse bad language, with plenty of high points along the way. #BunnyTrails

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Originally aired March 12, 2020

If you are looking for a lighter take on the global pandemic, you've come to the right place. Have you ever wondered how they come up with the names of new diseases? This week on Bunny Trails we'll walk you through the Word History of "coronavirus", as well as the process for naming the viruses and the diseases. We'll talk about who names them, how they name them, and why they name them as they do. BONUS: The best COVID-19 memes!

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Shauna and Dan look at the origins of the phrase "Dead of Night". Along the way, we learn a little about the word 'dead' and a few complimentary phrases like "in the gloom of night" (US Postal Service, anyone?) Plus your hosts argue about whether or not Tolkien's work is old. What do YOU think?

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It's a sports spectacular as Shauna and Dan both sports really hard. Or at least talk about sportsing hard. So hard. They "Keep Their Eye on the Ball" as they talk baseball, cricket, golf, and even rugby to find the origins of this wonderful phrase. #BunnyTrails

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Shauna looks at the origins and history of putting one's nose in something as a way of being engrossed by it. Dan defines engrossed, then invites Angela Lansbury to come to live with him. Shauna reads Dickens. Dan predicts the future. So much fun to be had on this week's #BunnyTrails!

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Originally aired April 17, 2019 - We revisit the phrase "Preaching to the Choir"

This week, Shauna and Dan discuss Preaching to the Converted as they say in the UK, or Preaching to the Choir as they say in the US. Dan gets 50% on pop quizzes, and Shauna teaches him this idiom has a much greater variety of meanings than he thought.

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We talk about the etymology of “Etymology” itself, and then discuss the basics of historical linguistics, including Grimm’s Law, Verner’s Law, and more. We also talk about Isidore of Seville, the etymological puns of Latin poets, and the way Mark does his research for his videos.

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Shauna and Dan try to figure out why someone who is "wet behind the ears" would be inexperienced. And is dry behind the ears a thing? Does the phrase really have something to do with newborn babies not getting the area behind their ears cleaned well enough? Find out answers to all of this, plus some amazing bonus facts, on this week's #BunnyTrails!

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This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase Crossing the Rubicon. Dan takes a guess at the origin of this phrase, but can't even get the right "ancient crosser of things". It's a mix of Crash Course World History and etymological fun on this week's Bunny Trails!   Don't forget to be awesome! Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

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How do we get from a piece of furniture that blocks the heat from a fire to Dan not answering the phone unless he knows the number? It's all on this week's Bunny Trails! Shauna and Dan explore a brief history of the telephone to get to the bottom of "Screen Your Calls". Bonus notes from No Doubt, edIT, and Click and Clack - the Tappit Brothers.

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Shauna and Dan look into the concept of luck, specifically the devil's luck. Is it good luck or bad luck? Could it be both? Dan forgets which shows they've done. Plus, bonus material includes Lake Placid, phone pixel art, romance novels, and Betty White. Betty White is so cool.

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What are Ides? Why should we Beware the Ides of March? Should we beware the Ides of other months? Do other months even have Ides? Again, what the heck is an Ide? Also, did Shakespeare really coin this phrase, or did he steal this one, too? Spoiler Alert: He stole it. Copyright 2021 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved

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Shauna looks into the phrase "clear as a bell", which helps if you know the historical definitions of "Clear". Dan expresses his disappointment in Merriam Webster's entry of this particular phrase. There is a little bit of Edison spite, then Dan adeptly adds average alliterations.

And why do some people get their private letters published and others don't? #BunnyTrails

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Join Your Brain on Facts, Endless Knot, Vocal Fries, Lexitecture, and Sandman Stories Presents as we talk about some of our favorite phrases & language types from around the world. From Dundonian Scots eh a’ i’ ah to whistling languages, from being between Scylla and Charybdis to sleeping tight, spilling the beans and saying f**k it and find out, and armchair quarterbacking a dancing on your grave, we have all the fun in our 100th episode! #BunnyTrails

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In which Shauna warns against taking a bear by the tooth, Dan tries to bring back the name Ebenezer, Shauna focuses on not poking the bear, and Dan curses math and orders of magnitude. Also… they don’t know anything about Canadian currency, so help them out on the socials. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan take a look at the Calm Before The Storm. Then quickly learn there is SO MUCH MORE to this phrase! Join them on a whimsical adventure to explore the calm before and after the tempest. #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan talk aviation with "Fly By The Seat of Your Pants". This is a relatively new phrase in the grand scheme of English idioms. But it still has a fun history around it! Hot air balloons, airplanes, and British trousers on this week's #BunnyTrails.

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Shauna and Dan are full of joy and whimsy as they tackle a gloomy phrase in Under the Weather. Maybe it means you are sick or maybe it means you are drunk. Or in some rare cases maybe you are having some financial difficulties. But the biggest question of all... does this really have nautical origins? And if so... why do we first see it in print from a Texas Revolutionary? We have some, but not all, the answers on this week's #BunnyTrails!

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Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers! This week Shauna talks about the origins of the possibly less-than-moral proverb. But Dan starts us off with his need for routine regarding masks, then later on coins. We get one random Babylon 5 reference and the duo share parenting goals, all on this week's #BunnyTrails! 

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Science fiction and science fact collide this week as Shauna and Dan discuss the origins and fun pre-history of the word "earworm". And then they talk all about those songs that just won't leave your brain! But don't worry, there is hope as they talk about possible cures, too. So much practical knowledge on this week's #BunnyTrails!

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It's an equine spectacular! This week Shauna teaches us the fun history of "neck and neck", while Dan - punch drunk from too much 2020 - struggles to figure out how the cartoon anthropomorphic horses he has conjured in his mind would conduct a sack race. Plus, the pair struggle with math, distance, and pronunciation. It's a whimsical adventure on this week's #BunnyTrails!

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This week we get into the Christmas Spirit while talking about the Christmas Blues. Um, actually, we talk about both! Learn about some of your favorite holiday idioms. Plus, the origins of "White Elephant" gift exchanges. It's all here for your holiday enjoyment on Bunny Trails!

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This week Shauna and Dan trip the light fantastic while talking about Phineas and Ferb, the Titanic, and Lin Manuel Miranda. Dan almost hums a song - A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum - for reasons that will become obvious. Skip the light fandango, anyone? 

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This week Shauna and Dan discuss retronyms, a new term created for something that already exists, but because
another thing has been invented, the original word is confusing and needs further clarification - usually the original term plus a modifying word. Like black-and-white television, which started being used once color TV became a thing. 

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Shauna looks at the history of the phrase, Wrong Side of the Bed. Dan plays a game. They both make fun of America for failing to learn the metric system. Plus, 3 great book recommendations:

Schmegoogle by Daniel Klien

Words The Sea Gave Us by Grace Tierney

Your Brain on Facts by Moxie LaBouche

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This week we talk with about the evolution of language with Daniel Klien, author of the soon-to-be-released book, Schmegoogle: Yiddish Words for the Modern Times. 

We cover Yiddish roots, the comedic styles of different languages, parallels between Yiddish and the Black community, and the importance of being able to make fun of yourself. 

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This week Shauna and Dan discuss the muddied origins of the phrase, "If The Shoe Fits". Shauna stans Hamilton while Dan talks about his first pseudonym - his gamer tag. #BunnyTrails

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This week we talk with Grace Tierney, the author of the new book “Words The Sea Gave Us”. We talk about nautical words, the book writing process, bringing back some interesting words, NaNoWriMo, and Moby Dick’s contribution to our knowledge of sailor-speak. Grace is bringing back Ahoy! as the way we answer the phone instead of Hello. We're totally in for this. Join us for our first "Conversations" episode on this week's Bunny Trails!

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This week Shauna and Dan are swamped with a special project. So you get to revisit the awesome phrase Bury the Hatchet, which originally aired on October 3, 2018. It doesn't seem like almost 2 years ago... it seems like a decade ago. March seems like two years ago.

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Shauna and Dan argue over the pronunciation of Oliver Wendell Holmes' name. Shauna discusses Death Warmed Over while Dan talks about his favorite funeral food. It's macabre on this week's Bunny Trails!

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This week Shauna and Dan stay completely sober as they talk about a number of sheets in the wind. This nautical term refers to one of the ropes holding onto the sail... not the sail itself. Which is among the many not-obvious facts you'll learn on this week's Bunny Trails!

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This week we explore “Wave a Magic Wand”. Shauna teaches Dan that humans can create works that are far better than their creators, while Dan spends most of his time making Dungeons & Dragons jokes and mis-quoting mythical stories. Shout outs in this one to the Lexitecture Podcast as well as Susie Dent and Sir Patrick Stewart.

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In this solo work, Dan spends almost 20 minutes talking about mixed metaphors. It's no use crying over spilled beans, cause you can count your bridges before you've crossed them. Check it out!

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This week mixes entomology with etymology as Dan explores the phrase Queen Bee. For thousands of years we called them King Bees, despite knowing for a good portion of that time the leader of the honey bee colony was female. Spoiler alert: It's Aristotle's fault. We'll, his and everyone else who contributed (and still contributes) to systemic discrimination in nearly all our institutions. We have earworms, Twitter threads, and long book titles in store for this week's Bunny Trails!

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This week's episode was inspired by the new book, "You Are An Artist" by Sarah Urist Green - available at your local bookseller now!

Shauna looks at the phrase "Work of Art". We search from the Oxford English Dictionary to Urban Dictionary, and loads of places in between, to learn the word "art" used to have a much broader meaning than we see today.  

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This week we take a break from talking to listen. #BlackLivesMatter

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Looking for a lighter take on the global pandemic? Have you ever wondered how they come up with the names of new diseases? This week on Bunny Trails we'll walk you through the Word History of "coronavirus", as well as the process for naming the viruses and the diseases. We'll talk who names them, how they name them, and why they name them as they do. Plus, we'll talk about the best COVID-19 memes!

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Shauna and Dan debate whether seeing the world through rose-colored glasses is a good thing or a bad thing. History sure has an answer, but it's an interesting journey on this week's Bunny Trails!

Originally aired June 19, 2018.

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Heads will roll is often used to declare someone will be punished, but not with a literal decapitation. But it's predecessors origins - and our phrases re-popularization - are rooted in far more literal realms. This week's show features blood-lusting Kings, murderous Queens, tyrannical dictators, with surprise appearances by William Shakespear, Lewis Carroll, and Beetlejuice. #BunnyTrails

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Shauna and Dan break down "Ugly" and "Duckling" to find the source of this fairy tale phrase. Shauna struggles with a word but finds she can sing it just fine. Dan makes bad jokes. Despite the mean sounding phrase, it's a heartwarming coming of age tale on this week's #BunnyTrails!

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This week is a look back to February 2019 where Shauna and Dan explore a brief history of Valentine's Day and the phrases Match Made in Heaven, Love Is Blind, All's Fair in Love and War, and Love at First Sight. #BunnyTrails

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A Little Birdie told us this phrase originated with the King James Bible. A quick search shows us the King James version of the Bible isn't even the first version to use the concepts, though none of them use the exact phrase. So join us to see just how this phrase did get its start, and what we were saying before that Little Birdie brought us the news. #BunnyTrails

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Another one gone and another one gone and another one bites the dust... From Queen (the band) to Homer (the Illiad), Bite the Dust has a long and storied history. Listen now to hear how this phrase from the ancient Greek made its way into the English lexicon to mean dying, falling down, and being mortally wounded! #BunnyTrails

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Are you a morning person or a night owl? This week, Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, Crack of Dawn... as in I'm getting up at the crack of dawn. Or maybe going to bed at the crack of dawn. We won't judge. Along the way, we'll talk Cracking Up, Cracking Jokes, Breaking ones Fast, and Break of Dawn. So much fun in store for you this week on #BunnyTrails! Visit us online. Want to help support the show? Did you know we have a Youtube Channel?

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Welcome to Season 3!!! We've got new audio equipment and Dan is still fighting a cold, so between those two things the audio is a bit wonky. But don't lose the thread here, we'll fix it before next week! This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, Lost the Thread, which is way older than Dan thought - but Shauna pretty much nailed it.

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Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained. Despite its mysterious French roots, this phrase enjoyed some fun variants while making its way to the phrase we use today. So check out the season 2 finale of #BunnyTrails cause as they used to say, nothing ventured, nothing have.

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Did Davy Crockett coin the term "Head Over Heels in Love"? No. Does the phrase, "Head Over Heels" have something to do with our head being slightly forward of our heels, despite it being higher? Most likely not. So where does this phrase come from? Well.. buckle up for a fun journey through a variety of ways this idiom was used before we landed on the way we use it today. 

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This week, Shauna presents some theories and asks you to take them with a grain of salt. Dan knows too much about Pliny the Elder, but not enough about almost anyone else of the time frame. Along the way we talk cooking strategies, American arrogance, and Latin.  #BunnyTrails

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Minds out of the gutter people. This completely safe for work episode talks about six of our favorite phrases with the word "nine" in them. Did "Dressed to the Nines" really start with a military unit? Is "Nine Days Wonder" the predecessor to 15 minutes of fame? Do cats and wives both have "Nine Lives"? Find out on this week's #BunnyTrails!

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Is the phrase "Loss for words" or "Lost for words"? Turns out it's not that simple. We put the more popular of the two in the title, but that doesn't necessarily give it the edge. Plus, Shauna again shares her love of the Urban Dictionary while Dan explains why he prefers a certain pronunciation of 'pendantic'. Join us for another fun week of #BunnyTrails!

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This week Shauna and Dan watch the changing of the leaves and ponder the origins of this phrase. Which word is more important to the phrase, turn or leaf? Learn the history of both, plus listen to Dan struggle to say Walter Matthau's name. What does Walter Matthau have to do with this idiom? Find out now on #BunnyTrails!

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Hematophobes might want to sit this one out. Shauna and Dan delve into several idioms with the word, "blood" in them. Some you'll know, like "Blood on your hands" and "To taste blood". Some you might not know, like the hunting term "In blood" or the fighting term, "To the blood". They even test the waters on a common origin story of "Blood is thicker than water". Check out our Halloween Special for 2019! #BunnyTrails

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Have you ever heard the phrase thick as inkle-weavers? Yeah, us either. But it turns out to be the basis for a phrase you probably HAVE heard, so join us as Shauna inkle-weaves this fascinating tale! #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan take a close look at the phrase 'Steal My Thunder'. Shauna waxes poetic at the intersection of literature and science, while Dan sings and recounts his knowledge of Texas Wars of the 1800s. #BunnyTrails

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This week in the United States is Fire Prevention Week, so we talk a few of our favorite phrases with the word Fire in them, including On Fire, Through Fire, Where's the Fire, and more! #BunnyTrails

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Why would anyone want to kill a cat?! This week we re-discover the origins of Curiosity Killed the Cat - originally broadcast in March 2018. Shauna geeks out of scientists who had curiosity get the better of them, Dan gets pedantic about Pliny the Elder, and they both go a little hard on Shakespeare. Check it out! #BunnyTrails

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Does the phrase "Tip of the Iceberg" really come from the sinking of the Titanic? Or does it have a darker, more sinister root? Should we start a few new segments, like Dictionaries with Dan, or Sociology with Shauna? Why is this episode so alliteration heavy?!

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Is there any truth to the story that Dead Ringer (along with Graveyard Shift and Saved By the Bell) originated out of Victorian England with fears of being buried alive?

Follow the amazing story of Dead Ringer through its numerous shifts and turns on this week's #BunnyTrails!

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How did we go from a Persian word for 'King' to letting you come back to the next baseball game using your old ticket? Find out here! Plus, Shauna and Dan get a little too close to the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory conspiracy, fail hard at naming stamp collectors, and learn about perforation machines from Google. 

Originally released April 25, 2018.

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Shauna hits her wit's end this week as she and Dan review the history of this perplexing phrase. Among the discussion: Mary Poppins, Christmas origins, Favorite Animated Films. Also, why couldn't the 1994 Lion King composer travel to South Africa to record animal sounds? Find out now!

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Shauna hits her wit's end this week as she and Dan review the history of this perplexing phrase. Among the discussion: Mary Poppins, Christmas origins, Favorite Animated Films. Also, why couldn't the 1994 Lion King composer travel to South Africa to record animal sounds? Find out now!

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We'll answer the age of question, Can you teach an old dog new tricks? Spoiler Alert: You can. Shauna and Dan talk vocal discrimination, materialism early 1900s style, the downside of Martin Van Buren, and the PC vs Mac debate. Dan finds a new favorite song while also lecturing everyone on how while the way we argue has changed, the fact that we are mean to each other when not speaking face to face hasn't changed. At all. 

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You ever noticed that sometimes you have trouble relating to another group of people... like you're living "Worlds Apart". Learn how the word 'world' came into use (hint: A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... wait... no, this galaxy) & when we started using the phrase Worlds Apart (not as long ago.) Also Dan claims "God" is an alien, while Shauna swoons over Roger Federer. It's one of those episodes! #BunnyTrails

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This week Shauna and Dan travel to Gettysburg to explore Civil War slang. They Acknowledge the Corn after they try to come the gum game, all while staying fit as a fiddle so they can see the elephant. Plus, learn how hardtack was like twinkies! #BunnyTrails