Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast - podcast cover

Bunny Trails: A Word History Podcast

Shauna Harrison, Dan Pughwww.bunnytrailspod.com
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!
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Episodes

319 Turn a Blind Eye

This week Shauna and Dan turn a blind eye to the problems of the world. Bonus: Gaslighting Leaders (1810s), Unpopular Tariffs (1890s), and USA's Concentration Camps (1940s). Wowsers is it a fun one this week! 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/bunnytrailsp...

May 13, 202628 minSeason 9Ep. 319

318 Belly Up

Quick Quips: This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Belly Up". Bonus: Fish, Bars, and Backwards Belly Flops 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 2026 by The Rea...

May 06, 202613 minSeason 9Ep. 318

317 Line in the Sand

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Line in the Sand". Bonus: Moral Dubiosity, Spanish Conquistadors, and Remembering the Alamo 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 Co...

Apr 29, 202632 minSeason 9Ep. 317

316 Roger That

Quick Quips: This week Shauna and Dan tune into that radio phrase, Roger That. Bonus: Jolly Roger; Victor, Clarence, and Roger; and (in Dan's best droid voice) Roger Roger 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 ...

Apr 22, 202614 minSeason 9Ep. 316

315 Goody Two Shoes

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase Goody Two Shoes. Bonus: Nepotism, Romance Tropes, and RPG Maker-style horror genre video games 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 C...

Apr 15, 202628 minSeason 9Ep. 315

314 Any Port in a Storm

Quick Quips: This week Shauna and Dan explore, "Any Port in a Storm". Bonus: A coat for your coat, Safe spaces in space, and Not-happy-little-horror Trees 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, bunn...

Apr 08, 202612 minSeason 9Ep. 314

313 Pass the Buck

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, Pass the Buck. Bonus: Presidential Slogans, Murderous Masonic Convocations, and Mark Twain's Miner Mumbo vs Preacher Patois 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...

Apr 01, 202630 minSeason 9Ep. 313

312 Put a Sock in It

Quick Quips: This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "put a sock in it". Bonus: 90s Action-comedies, Choose Your Own Adventure media, and if the Chief is inclined to jib, tell him to put a sock in it! 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 ...

Mar 25, 202614 minSeason 9Ep. 312

311 A Watched Pot Never Boils

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "A Watched Pot Never Boils". Bonus: Nom de plumes, neurodivergent characters from the 1870s, and time being all wimbly wombly 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 o...

Mar 18, 202633 minSeason 9Ep. 311

RETRO 102 Beware the Ides of March 2026 Edition

RETRO Episode: This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Beware the Ides of March" Which begs the question... what are Ides? Should we beware the Ides of other months? Bonus: Calends, Nones, and Caesars 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...

Mar 11, 202631 minSeason 9Ep. 102

310 Spoonful of Sugar

Quick Quips: This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "Spoonful of Sugar". Bonus: Magical Nannies, Toy Story Fairies, and how the polio vaccine gave us a wonderful song 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 ...

Mar 04, 202611 minSeason 9Ep. 310

309 Kick the Bucket

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Kick the Bucket". Bonus: Jack & Jill, General Patton, and Dan's favorite terms for dying. CW: This episode contains irreverent talk about death. Please skip if that isn't for you right now. . 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 ...

Feb 25, 202630 minSeason 9Ep. 309

308 In the Limelight

This week Shauna and Dan explore what it means to be "in the limelight". Bonus: Chemical Reactions, Chess Masters, and Cerebral 70's Lyrics 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 ...

Feb 18, 202627 minSeason 9Ep. 308

307 Tickle Your Fancy

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "Tickle Your Fancy". Bonus: Robin Hood, Puritans, Lucille Ball on Broadway, and the answer to the age-old question... has this phrase always been a double entendre? 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/bunnytrails...

Feb 11, 202629 minSeason 9Ep. 307

306 Going AWOL

Quick Quips: This week Shauna and Dan go AWOL. Bonus: Initialisms vs Acronyms, AWOL vs Desertion, and Co-workers vs the Team Lead 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 ...

Feb 04, 202613 minSeason 9Ep. 306

305 Rest on Your Laurels

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase "rest on your laurels". Or since the late 1700s, DO NOT rest on your laurels. Bonus: Greek Gods, Roman Funerals, and Swedish Doctors 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 availabl...

Jan 28, 202631 minSeason 9Ep. 305

304 Living the Dream

This week Shauna and Dan introduce the Quick Quips format which will be used when a phrase doesn't fit into the regular format. This week, Living the Dream! Bonus: Irony in the 1950s, Irony in the 1990s, and Irony in the 2020s. 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! patre...

Jan 21, 202611 minSeason 9Ep. 304

303 Pull Out All the Stops

This week Shauna and Dan make every possible effort to explain Pull Out All the Stops. Bonus: Australian Football, Coughing instead of clapping, and playing the pipe organ while Rome burns 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 alw...

Jan 14, 202631 minSeason 9Ep. 303

Season 9 Trailer

Welcome to Season 9. It seems improbable that you have been joining us for 8 years and over 300 episodes, but here you are! Thanks for being a part of the Bunny Trails community. If you want to take your listening to the next level, join us over at Patreon, patreon.com/bunnytrailspod. You'll get instant free perks like our weekly polls and discussions on what everyone read/watched/played the past week. There are paid perks, too, if you feel so inclined. We'll talk to you next week for Season 9 o...

Jan 07, 20262 min

RETRO 187 At a Crossroads

This week Shauna and Dan explore the phrase, "At a Crossroads", which has a strong association with blues legend Robert Johnson. Bonus: Search engine optimization in the 1700s and cool pet names. Also, how do you pronounce gnocchi? 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! p...

Dec 31, 202532 minSeason 8Ep. 187

RETRO 258 Christmas Spirit

It's that time of year! Shauna and Dan deep dive into the holiday phrase, Christmas Spirit. The feeling, not the ghosts. Bonus: Curmudgeonly old men, spirits pitching the Christmas spirit, and the great bagel vs donut debate. 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...

Dec 24, 202532 minSeason 8Ep. 258

RETRO 216 Snowball Effect

This week Shauna and Dan explore the history of the snowball effect. Bonus: Snowpersons, Science Fiction Matriarchs, and Snake Oil Sales Folk. Double Bonus: Air travel tips! 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 o...

Dec 17, 202530 minSeason 8Ep. 216

RETRO 259 Words Christmas Gave Us with Grace Tierney

This week Shauna and Dan are joined by 'Words Christmas Gave Us' author Grace Tierney to talk about Christmas, Boxing Day (St. Stephens Day if you are in Ireland - Do NOT make that mistake), and fun holiday traditions. Happy holidays from all of us at Bunny Trails! 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 ...

Dec 10, 202532 minSeason 8Ep. 259

RETRO 136 Never Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth

Shauna and Dan talk about the ancient phrase, never look a gift horse in the mouth. Bonus: What would $200,000 in 1912 be worth today, Can you really tell the age of a horse by looking at its teeth, and the best ice cream flavor 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! patr...

Dec 03, 202534 minSeason 8Ep. 136

RETRO 230 Pie in the Sky

This week Shauna and Dan explore the surprising origins of pie in the sky. Bonus: Workers rights, Great British actors, and the biggest meal of 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 Shownotes are always available on our website, bunnytr...

Nov 26, 202532 minSeason 8Ep. 230

302 Going Whole Hog

This week Shauna and Dan go whole hog to bust some myths and find some cookout tips. Bonus: Bucking porkchops, extreme ironing, and how to tell a fiddle from a violin 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 w...

Nov 19, 202531 minSeason 8Ep. 302

301 Walking on Eggshells

This week Shauna and Dan tread upon eggs as they explore the modern version of this phrase, walking on eggshells. Bonus: Magical friendship eggs, Dan's sunscreen for the eyes, And Shauna's fear of trial by jury. Also, we are bringing back "sinistrously". 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. S...

Nov 12, 202531 minSeason 8Ep. 301

300 Catch More Flies With Honey Than Vinegar

This week Shauna and Dan find out if you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar. Bonus: Learning new languages, Riding narwhals, and Canada's No. 1 prospector 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 availab...

Nov 05, 202532 minSeason 8Ep. 300

299 Catnap

This week Shauna and Dan take a catnap. Bonus: Sleep Momentum, Star Trek IV: Spock and Whales, and THE MODS ARE ASLEEP - EVERYONE POST OWLS! Bonus Bonus: Antnaps 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 websit...

Oct 29, 202532 minSeason 8Ep. 299

298 Tongue in Cheek

This week Shauna and Dan explore having your tongue in your cheek, or the simplified version, tongue in cheek. Bonus: General irreverence, New Zealand's parliamentary insults, and Tongue-based assistive devices 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, bunnyt...

Oct 22, 202530 minSeason 8Ep. 298
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