Dime idioms. ‘HoCo’ and syllable acronyms. Pulling a Trevor

Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

1118. This week, we look at the origins of idioms related to the word "dime," like "turn on a dime" and "get off the dime." We also look at a special kind of acronym that uses syllables, and how words like "Nabisco," "SoHo," and "HoCo" were formed.

The "dime" segment was written by Karen Lunde, a career writer and editor. These days, she designs websites for solo business owners who care about both words and visuals. Find her at chanterellemarketingstudio.com.

The "Hoco" segment was written by Neal Whitman, an independent writer and consultant specializing in language and grammar and a member of the Reynoldsburg, Ohio, school board. You can search for him by name on Facebook, or find him on his blog at literalminded.wordpress.com.

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