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This week's theme Toponyms. This week's words Chinese puzzle Toronto blessing Bristol fashion Roman nose Glasgow kiss Spread the word Send a gift subscription Discuss Feedback RSS/XML A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg Bristol fashion PRONUNCIATION: (BRIS-tl FASH-uhn) MEANING: adjective: In good order. ETYMOLOGY: We know the term is coined after Bristol, England, but we are not so certain why. Some believe the term alludes to the prosperity of the city from its flourishing shipping business. Others claim that the term arose as a result of the very high tidal range of the port of Bristol: at low tides ships moored here would go aground and if everything on the ship was not stowed away properly, chaos would result. The term is often used to describe boats and typically used in the phrase "shipshape and Bristol fashion". USAGE: "Everything was shipshape and Bristol fashion, the parallel bars looked spruce, the leaves had been raked out of the swimming pool, there was not a drop of horse poo on the riding course." Patsy Crawford; Olympic Gold is a Little Tarnished; Sunday Tasmanian (Australia); Jul 18, 2004. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: The greatest tragedy in mankind's entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion. -Arthur C. Clarke, science fiction writer (1917-2008)

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