Ridin’ Wordy

We use the phrase “let the cat out of the bag” when someone spills a secret… but what if it began with an actual scam? In this episode of Ridin’ Wordy, Sean Rhoads explores the wild and possibly shady history behind one of the most colorful phrases in the English language. Journey back to crowded medieval marketplaces, where buyers may have thought they were purchasing a piglet… only to open the s...

You flex every day… but did you know your muscles are named after mice? In this episode of Ridin’ Wordy, Sean Rhoads explores the bizarre and hilarious origin of the word muscle, which traces back to the Latin word musculus, meaning little mouse. Why would the mighty Romans, conquerors of empires and builders of roads, name one of the strongest parts of the human body after a tiny rodent? Because...

Mad as a Hatter will take working yourself crazy to a whole new level. 

This word might carry even more pressure when you learn the true origin. 

Get your mind out of the gutter. This word has an action-packed history, but probably not the same kind of action you might be thinking.

Once upon a time, “nerd” was a punchline. It meant awkward. Obsessive. Socially sidelined. Today? Nerds run Silicon Valley. They build the platforms. They design the future. They shape the economy. In this episode of Ridin’ Wordy, Sean Rhoads traces the surprising evolution of the word nerd — from its mysterious mid-20th-century debut to its transformation into a badge of intelligence, ambition, a...

Before it meant working from a laptop. Before it meant invoices and flexible schedules. Before it meant “I’ll send the contract tonight.” It meant a weapon. In this episode of Ridin’ Wordy, Sean Rhoads traces the surprising origin of the word freelance — from medieval mercenaries carrying “free lances” into battle to today’s independent contractors shaping the modern gig economy. You’ll discover:...

Before it meant “fine.” Before it meant “approved.” Before it meant absolutely nothing and absolutely everything… It was a joke. In this debut episode of Ridin’ Wordy, Sean Rhoads unpacks the wild origin story of O.K. — the two-letter abbreviation that went from a 19th-century Boston newspaper prank to the most recognized word on the planet. You’ll discover: • How intentional misspellings became a...