play body parts video
Usage Notes

When Body Parts Are Also Verbs

Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes


Editor Peter Sokolowski breaks down a number of body parts with metaphorical uses as verbs, from head to toe.

Transcript:

Many parts of the body can be used as verbs in either a physical or a metaphorical sense. You can head a company, but if things go wrong you'll have to shoulder the blame, or face your investors. A good leader backs their employees, but if you don't toe the line you might get skinned. Did you muscle your way into that job? You might eye someone suspiciously, or wait for the police to finger a suspect. But if you need to get out of town, try thumbing a ride. You can ride with me if you can stomach the thought. I don't always sing along to the radio, but you might see me mouthing the words.

Up next

play body parts video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs

 

Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes

play serial comma
The Serial Comma Explained

 

Why don't they call it the Merriam-Webster comma?

play videos pictures in the dictionary
Pictures in the Dictionary

 

The story of those iconic illustrations.

play onomatopoeia video
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia

 

Some imitative words are more surprising than others

play video drive safe ly
Drive Safe: In Praise of Flat Adverbs

 

You don't have to end all your adverbs in -ly to talk right.

play serenity carr next to an illustration of a refrigerator with the letter d in it
Why is there a 'd' in 'fridge' but not in 'refrigerator'?

 

Thawing one of the mysteries of English

play video who vs whom
Who vs. Whom

 

Good news for those who feel stuffy saying 'whom.'