ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS
Reading, typing, and speaking are measured by this abbreviation.
What is wpm?
It stands for "words per minute."
When you whip cream too long, you get this.
What is butter?
After margarine was introduced, a law was passed in the Vermont, South Dakota, and New Hampshire legislatures that required margarine to be dyed pink to differentiate it from butter. The battle went all the way to the Supreme Court, which struck down the "pink laws."
This is the meat of a deer.
What is venison?
It is so lean that you need to add some fat to it before cooking. It's also more nutritious than beef.
This is a covering that goes underneath one's placemats at dinner.
What is a tablecloth?
Cotton and linen tablecloths have natural fibers that absorb messes more quickly, while synthetics are more stain- and wrinkle-resistant.
This term describes wrapping a baby loosely in a blanket to help them feel calm and secure during sleep.
What is swaddling?
Mount Rushmore is located in this U.S. state.
What is South Dakota?
This is a two-letter abbreviation for "for example."
What is e.g.?
This is the name of a bright yellow, smooth, waterproof coat that people wear in the rain.
What is slicker?
The original coats in the 1800s were made of sailcloth and covered in linseed oil to make them waterproof.
This brand of tiny breath mints was introduced in 1969, is packaged in a small rectangular container, and packs a punch.
What is Tic Tac?
Made by the same company that makes Nutella, the product's original name was Refreshing Mints, which is not as catchy as Tic Tac.
These small, implanted devices in the chest regulate the heartbeat.
What are pacemakers?
The devices monitor the heart constantly and give it a nudge when it needs regulation. Did you know your sinus node controls your heartbeat? It normally acts as the body's own pacemaker.
This is the name for a baby horse.
What is a foal?
This U.S. lake is the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world.
What is Lake Superior?
This elite military unit is named for the three environments it operates in — the sea, the air, and the land.
What are Navy SEALs?
SEa, Air, Land
When you see a yellow sign, you generally think of this.
What is caution?
Yellow is the universal color of caution, just as red is the universal color for "stop."
Arizona's state flower should come as no surprise, as this plant covers the desert landscape.
What is cactus (blossom)?
Specifically, it is the saguaro cactus, native to the Sonora Desert. It's illegal to harm one of these cacti.
These luscious nuts are native to Australia but now are grown in places like Hawaii, Brazil, and Costa Rica.
What are macadamias?
It grows on trees but falls to the ground when ripe.
In 1928, this baby-food company held a nationwide contest to find the face for its advertising campaign.
What is Gerber?
Artist Dorothy Hope Smith entered a half-done charcoal sketch of an adorable baby, saying that she would finish it if she were selected. She was, and she did. In 1931, the Gerber baby became so popular that the company adopted it as its official trademark.
This U.S. desert stretches across parts of California, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona.
What is the Mojave Desert?
The abbreviation i.e. stands for this.
What is "that is"?
You will see this in academic papers as well as in less formal pieces. It's also used in conversation.
Back in the day, we looked up businesses in this.
What are the Yellow Pages?
The Real Yellow Pages has moved online to the website yellowpages.com
If you look at this state on a map, you will see how it earned its early nickname of "The Mitten State."
What is Michigan?
It earned its nickname in the 1800s.
You are considered this until the moment admission forms are signed at the hospital.
What is outpatient?
This is what a baby kangaroo is called.
What is a joey?
This U.S. state has more coastline than all other states combined.
What is Alaska?
In texting, the letters “LOL” stand for this light-hearted reaction.
What is “laughing out loud”?
This is the yellow "split" on which ice cream sits.
What is banana?
Don't forget the rest of the toppings-nuts, hot fudge, whipped cream, pineapple, strawberries, and a cherry.
Native Hawaiian women adopted this long, loose dress.
What is muumuu?
It's typically a long, brightly colored, patterned dress and was introduced by Christian missionaries in the 1820s.
This 10-letter word means “to come up with new ideas, often creatively.”
What is brainstorm?
This land animal holds the record for the heaviest newborns, arriving at 150 to 250 pounds.
What is an elephant?
This state capital sits at the highest elevation of any U.S. capital city.
What is Santa Fe, New Mexico?
The medical abbreviation “BP” is used to measure this important sign of health.
What is blood pressure?
These wasps often build their nests underground.
What are yellow jackets?
They get their name from their yellow and black stripes and are also known as meat bees.
This planet in our solar system is the only one that rotates on its side.
What is Uranus?
This term is a colloquial nickname for a musical instrument characterized by bellows and buttons.
What is a "squeezebox"?
Both the accordion and the concertina are commonly referred to by this term.
This is the common name for the small, soothing device infants often suck on for comfort.
What is a pacifier?
The pacifier was invented in 1901 by a pharmacist named Christian W. Meinecke.
This river is the deepest in the United States, reaching depths of over 800 feet.
What is the Hudson River?