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Nov 9, 2025 This week’s theme Adverbs This week’s words elsewhither posthaste abreast ad nauseam anywhen How popular are they? Relative usage over time AWADmail archives Index Next week’s theme Words from English English Send a gift that keeps on giving, all year long: A gift subscription of A.Word.A.Day or the gift of books AWADmail Issue 1219 A Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day and Other Tidbits about Words and Language Sponsor’s Message: ONEUPMANSHIP 3.0 is more wicked smart money board game fun for the whole family. “The components are better. The mechanics are better. The game is just monumentally better in every way.” -- KamSandwich. A fabulous gift. Shop now. From: Lynn Javoroski (lynnjav gmail.com) Subject: adverbs When I was an undergraduate, a small group of friends decided we would celebrate the adverb. For a couple of months we used as many as we could, and usually made a few up. We added “ly” to a lot of words. It was long enough ago that I don’t remember any of them, but we had fun raising awareness of adverbs. Lynn Javoroski, Juneau, Wisconsin From: Jon Nigrine (jnigrine gmail.com) Subject: It’s probably an adverb Words’ parts of speech have always seemed obvious, except for a few that leave me scratching my head. I’ve learned to handle this via a simple rule, which works most of the time: if you don’t know what part of speech it is, it’s probably an adverb. For example: today, outside, not, in some contexts such as “I’m leaving today.” Jon Nigrine, Flushing, Michigan Email of the Week -- Brought to you buy ONEUPMANSHIP -- Are you a G? From: Mark Thompson (mark mrny.com) Subject: The Right to Be Your Monday morning homily about the bottlecap that wanted to be an adverb beautifully captures the right to be. As a left-handed gay atheist vegetarian, I am accustomed to being in the minority, and, like an adverb, not always loved. My left-handedness harms no one, nor does my arm around my husband as we sleep through the night. Let us be who we are; that’s all most of us desire. Our bodies, our choice. Our minds, our voice. Mark Thompson, PhD, New York, New York From: Paul Castaldi (paulcast55 verizon.net) Subject: Turn elsewhither! Tolkien fans ought to recognize this word. In “The Lord of the Rings”, it is uttered by King Théoden, as he rejects and repudiates renegade wizard Saruman’s attempt to use his mesmerizing voice to persuade and subjugate the old king: “... A lesser son of great sires am I, but I do not need to lick your fingers. Turn elsewhither. But I fear your voice has lost its charm.” Paul Castaldi, Havertown, Pennsylvania From: Alec Charles (via website comments) Subject: elsewhither I have been known to use “elsewhither” rather than “off” after certain imperatives. Alec Charles From: Barbara Smoody (bfsmoody gmail.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--elsewhither My friend’s grade-school-age children first met Tom Lehrer via this song (2 min.) about adverbs. Maybe when they are a little older I’ll tell them about “I Hold Your Hand in Mine” or “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park”. Barbara Smoody, Vancouver, Washington From: Garry Stahl (tesral wowway.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--elsewhither As a writer I do a very simple check on all work. Ninety percent of the time removing these slackers from a sentence improves it. They are hell spawn, basically the bums-on-the-corner-smoking-with-their-pants-around-their-knees of language. Not all adverbs are cut from the same cloth. Like strong spice you sprinkle them lightly. There, I used one. Garry Stahl, Dearborn, Michigan From: Bryan Todd (bryansink yahoo.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--posthaste Posthaste wasn’t cheap, either. To send a half-ounce letter in 1861 from Missouri to California by Pony Express (the Central Overland California & Pike’s Peak Express Company) cost $5. Adjusting for inflation, that’s north of $180 in 2025 money. Bryan Todd, Lincoln, Nebraska From: Andrew Lloyd (knockroe gmail.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--posthaste “Of good or bad so great, of bad the sooner; For evil news rides post, while good news baits.” -John Milton, Samson Agonistes Andrew Lloyd, Borris, Ireland From: Gayle Müller (gayle.muller gmail.com) Subject: Abreast Today’s word reminds me of a stick-figure riddle my husband showed me in the early sixties Shows you how far our understanding of abreast has declined over the decades. Gayle Müller, North Abington Township, Pennsylvania From: Kenneth Kirste (kkkirste sbcglobal.net) Subject: posthaste Because we learn our first-language vocabulary gradually, through a mix of implicit and explicit lessons, we seldom know exactly when and where we had acquired any given word. That is not the case for me when it comes to today’s word since I remember the exact source for my learning “posthaste”. It was from a record my sister bought in 1953. The spoken-word recording was an adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood, rewritten by Tonight Show host Steve Allen for hip kids. The humorously modernized version was read by the influential jazz radio disc jockey Al “Jazzbo” Collins. Among lines like “There lived a fine chick named Red Riding Hood” and “Your ears are the most, to say the least,” Collins describes the wolf’s getting to the grandmother’s house before Little Red Riding Hood by saying “He made it over to grandma’s posthaste.” (video, 3 min.) Ken Kirste, Sunnyvale, California From: Mary Treder (mct919 hotmail.com) Subject: anywhen In a letter dated Nov 5, 2025 from House and Senate leaders Jeffries and Schumer to the president, they write “Democrats stand ready to meet with you face to face, anytime and anyplace.” Alternatively they might have said “...anywhen and anyplace.” Mary Treder, Grand Junction, Colorado From: Penny Hoets (penny digbyhoets.com) Subject: Anywhen In South Africa we have “just now” in common usage. It can mean anything from a couple of minutes to some undefined time in the future! Penny Hoets, Johannesburg, South Africa From: Don Ross (anaortic gmail.com) Subject: Anywhen The task will be done anywhen would be similar to “It will be done tomorrow God willing” or “Bukra inshallah” in Arabic. Don Ross, Sydney, Australia From: Bob Carleton (bobNgayle proton.me) Subject: adverb? My old fave is the construction everysoonceinawhile: something that does happen, but not with regularity. For example, it might be said that “I am right everysoonceinawhile.” Bob Carleton, Albuquerque, New Mexico From: Alex McCrae (ajmccrae277 gmail.com) Subject: ad nauseam and posthaste Trump touts his accomplishments, ad nauseam, while often playing the victim, lashing out at those he perceives have done him wrong. The “radical left-wing lunatics” (aka the Dems) are usually the prime target of his umbrage. Blaming the former Biden Administration for all the nation’s woes is his default pivot. In reading the Notes for our word posthaste, having discovered its root relates to high-speed deliveries on horseback, Paul Revere’s legendary midnight ride alerting his fellow revolutionaries to the approaching British forces came to mind. Revere likely didn’t shout “The British are coming!”, since the rebellious colonists were still British subjects. In his poem eulogizing Revere’s ride, Longfellow clearly took some poetic license with the facts regarding Revere’s historic ride to Concord, Mass. Yet, there is no denying that Revere, on his borrowed steed, posthaste, changed the destiny of America forever. Alex McCrae, Van Nuys, California Anagrams This week’s theme: adverbs Elsewhither Posthaste Abreast Ad nauseam Anywhen = Veer away ASAP The e-bikers abeam Endless test (wish he’d shush) At no matter when = Away Rush Beside Sparks the sweats and the heaves (blame the news!) Another time -Shyamal Mukherji, Mumbai, India (mukherjis hotmail.com) -Dharam Khalsa, Burlington, North Carolina (dharamkk2 gmail.com) Adverbs Elsewhither Posthaste Abreast Ad nauseam Anywhen = Away Sends asap It’s abeam Hath endless torture Bah whenever -Julian Lofts, Auckland, New Zealand (jalofts xtra.co.nz) Make your own anagrams and animations. Limericks Elsewhither Poor Pamela cried, “What a dither! My feelings for Fred have left hither. The love of my life Just won’t leave his wife. So romance I must seek out elsewither. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) To remain within bounds do I try, But elsewhither my tennis balls fly. It is really a shame I have such a bad aim: I’m inclined to hit balls way up high. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) On a date, the dude beckoned “Come hither!” But I chose to go quickly elsewither. I sensed his intent And was not that way bent. My escape was calm, not in a dither! -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) Said Santa, “We must go elsewhither, For the glacier above us melts hither. There’s no cold enough place Anymore -- a disgrace! It’s just awful to see my elves wither.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Posthaste The midwife was summoned posthaste -- There wasn’t a moment to waste! So a nun on a bike On this show that I like, To someone in labor then raced. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Trump tore down the East Wing posthaste; Its history he thus erased. Something tacky instead I am sure lies ahead -- A ballroom that’s more to his taste. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) “I want every No-Kings marcher maced,” Ordered Donald, “and do it posthaste! For I get really hard When the National Guard On my orders is acting debased.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Abreast I’m keeping abreast of the news, So as to have well-informed views. It sure seems to me More blissful I’d be If ignorance I were to choose. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) The news lately isn’t the best. (I know this for I keep abreast.) Trump’s misdeeds I deplore, And I can’t stand much more -- I think that we all need a rest. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) The paper comes out every day I read it so that I can say I’m abreast of the news. (But really, I choose The comics, then toss it away!) -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) A stripper I know named Celeste, Who had the most marvelous chest, Liked to follow the news, To bolster her views. “I do like to keep well abreast.” -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “We should line up these corpses abreast,” At the fortress suggested Beau Geste. “For here in this region, The French Foreign Legion Is not with more live soldiers blessed.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) ad nauseam Whenever elections draw near, Ad nauseam, mean ads appear. It isn’t much fun; I’m glad when it’s done -- They’re all innuendo and smear. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) In Dublin there once was a lad Whose great cheerfulness bothered his dad. “You’re laughing ad nauseam; Quit the guffaws, Liam!” Shouted the father. “Egad!” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) anywhen Anywhen you would want I am free. I no longer am working, you see. Though last that I looked, A few times are booked -- At the doctor’s I’m liable to be. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) The time’s pretty flexible, see? They said “anywhen”; that means we Can arrive any time When you or when I’m Able to -- how about three? -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) “The trick to stay calm anywhen Is to not be around many men,” Said the abbess. “A willy Inside you is silly; Without one, you’ll stay very Zen.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Said the courtesan, “Try many men; It’s the way to have fun anywhen. For girls it’s what’s meant; You’d go nuts with one gent. Sleep around, and you’ll stay very Zen.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “I have been with a great many men; It’s my thing anywhere, anywhen. But Donald,” said Stormy, “You’re tiny and bore me, So get out your checkbook and pen.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Puns “A pretty girl like you must use her charms or elsewhither on the vine,” Ghislaine Maxwell urged the 14-year-old. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “I’ll fix the Washington Posthaste-ily, sir, I promise,” said Jeff Bezos to Donald. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “Com-posthaste-ily,” spoke the farmer. “That’s the key to great crops.” -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “I’ll have abreast,” the KFC patron told the server. -Janice Power, Cleveland, Ohio (powerjanice782 gmail.com) “I don’t just grab abreast; when others go high, I go low,” said Donald. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Abreast-feeding mother sat in the back of the room discreetly nursing her child. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “Any beaver who sees our new TV ad nauseam-mediately at the nearest tree,” claimed the deforestation promoter. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Upset with the buffet, Todd complained loudly, “I didn’t get anywhen will more spare ribs come out?” -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) Among politicians, who if anywhen under fire admit their mistakes? -Janice Power, Cleveland, Ohio (powerjanice782 gmail.com) “Of kings like you there sure aren’t m-anywhen-ceslas,” said the grateful beggar. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back. -Carl Sagan, astronomer and writer (9 Nov 1934-1996)

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