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PODCAST

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast

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!

history language learning

All Episodes

28:16

276 Run into the Ground

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/05/14

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, 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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31:30

275 Pay the Ferryman

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/05/07

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, 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 Shownotes are always available on our website, bunnytrailspod.com Copyright 2025 All Rights

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32:22

274 Mums the Word

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/04/30

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, 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 Shownotes are always available on our website, bunnytrailspod.com

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32:15

RETRO 114 In the Same Boat

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/04/23

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, 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,

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32:25

RETRO 118 Bob's Your Uncle

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/04/16

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, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod On our Patreon you have direct access to reach Shauna and Dan, plus join our weekly chats and

en

34:24

273 Shoot for the Moon

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/04/09

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

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29:21

272 Diamond in the Rough

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/04/02

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

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35:55

271 Public Enemy Number One

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/03/26

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

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25:21

270 Bite My Head Off

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/03/19

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

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33:05

269 Fork in the Road

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/03/12

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

en

30:52

RETRO 102 Beware the Ides of March

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/03/05

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

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31:44

268 Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/02/26

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

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32:56

267 Rack My Brain

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/02/19

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

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28:21

266 Throw in the Towel

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/02/12

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

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32:06

265 Stick to Your Ribs

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/02/05

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

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29:29

264 Jump Through Hoops

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/01/29

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

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33:01

263 Canary in a Coal Mine

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/01/22

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

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28:11

262 The Lions Share

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/01/15

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

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31:47

261 Cut the Mustard

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/01/08

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

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29:12

260 New Lease on Life

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast ·

2025/01/01

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

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