Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast

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!

282 Chew the Fat 06/25/2025

282 Chew the Fat This week Shauna and Dan chew the fat and debunk some origin stories. Bonus: Soul-disco, teething children, and bored Cowboys It's free to join our Patreon, 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! Shownotes are always available on our website, Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/36937560

281 Burn Your Bridges 06/18/2025

281 Burn Your Bridges 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 It's free to join our Patreon, 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! Shownotes are always available on our website, Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/36924040

280 Upset the Apple Cart 06/11/2025

280 Upset the Apple Cart 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) It's free to join our Patreon, 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! Shownotes are always available on our website, Copyright 2025 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/36849980

279 Flash in the Pan 06/04/2025

279 Flash in the Pan 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. It's free to join our Patreon, 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! Shownotes are always available on our website, Copyright 2025 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/36734250

278 Pay the Piper 05/28/2025

278 Pay the Piper This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, Pay the Piper. Bonus: Multicolored musicians, English History, and Horror Stories It's free to join our Patreon, 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! Shownotes are always available on our website, Copyright 2025 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/36648325

277 Throw Down the Gauntlet 05/21/2025

277 Throw Down the Gauntlet 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 It's free to join our Patreon, 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! Shownotes are always available on our website, Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/36552005

276 Run into the Ground 05/14/2025

276 Run into the Ground 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 It's free to join our Patreon, 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! Shownotes are always available on our website, Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/36543370

275 Pay the Ferryman 05/07/2025

275 Pay the Ferryman This week Shauna and Dan have to pay the ferryman. Well, not exactly. Bonus: Charon, Commodores, and Chris de Burgh It's free to join our Patreon, 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! Shownotes are always available on our website, Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/36456400

274 Mums the Word 04/30/2025

274 Mums the Word 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 It's free to join our Patreon, 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! Shownotes are always available on our website, Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/36357950

RETRO 114 In the Same Boat 04/23/2025

RETRO 114 In the Same Boat 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 It's free to join our Patreon, 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! Shownotes are always available on our website, Copyright 2025 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/36248970

RETRO 118 Bob's Your Uncle 04/16/2025

RETRO 118 Bob's Your Uncle 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. It's free to join our Patreon, 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! Shownotes are always available on our website, Copyright 2025 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/36130275

273 Shoot for the Moon 04/09/2025

273 Shoot for the Moon 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 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 Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/35962650

272 Diamond in the Rough 04/02/2025

272 Diamond in the Rough 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 Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/35949170

271 Public Enemy Number One 03/26/2025

271 Public Enemy Number One 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. Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/35711940

270 Bite My Head Off 03/19/2025

270 Bite My Head Off 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 Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/35638570

269 Fork in the Road 03/12/2025

269 Fork in the Road 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 Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/35621575

RETRO 102 Beware the Ides of March 03/05/2025

RETRO 102 Beware the Ides of March 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 Copyright 2025 by The Readiness Corner, LLC - All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/35519800

268 Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop 02/26/2025

268 Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop 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 Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/35334080

267 Rack My Brain 02/19/2025

267 Rack My Brain 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 Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/35323130

266 Throw in the Towel 02/12/2025

266 Throw in the Towel 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 Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/35231245

265 Stick to Your Ribs 02/05/2025

265 Stick to Your Ribs 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! Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/34948840

264 Jump Through Hoops 01/29/2025

264 Jump Through Hoops 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 Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/34943125

263 Canary in a Coal Mine 01/22/2025

263 Canary in a Coal Mine 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 Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/34906180

262 The Lions Share 01/15/2025

262 The Lions Share 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 Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/34844695

261 Cut the Mustard 01/08/2025

261 Cut the Mustard 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 Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/34745075

260 New Lease on Life 01/01/2025

260 New Lease on Life 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! Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/34664800

259 Words Christmas Gave Us with Grace Tierney 12/18/2024

259 Words Christmas Gave Us with Grace Tierney 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! Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/34202965

258 Christmas Spirit 12/11/2024

258 Christmas Spirit 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. Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/34185655

257 Third Time's the Charm 12/04/2024

257 Third Time's the Charm 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. Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/34183540

256 Riding the Gravy Train 11/27/2024

256 Riding the Gravy Train This week Shauna and Dan call all aboard on the Gravy Train. Bonus: Dubious origins, bad maths, Pink Floyd, and poutine. Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved /episode/index/show/bunnytrailspod/id/33906127

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast

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