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Happy as a Clam to Have Your Ear

By John Ciardi

Published May 11, 2006 at 1:22 PM EDT

"Happy as a clam" is a shortened form of an old idiom, "happy as a clam at high tide." Just as you might suspect, early Americans decided that clams are happiest when they're undisturbed. It's one of many idioms that have left behind their full phrasing.

John Ciardi

Stories From This Author

A Fireside Chat Through the Ages

John Ciardi

From the "focus" of Roman homes to the chimneys of modern homes, the history of the fireplace is a journey across Europe. Each epoch and culture has had its own method of keeping the home fires lit.
Mickey Mouse Conquers the World of Language

John Ciardi

Mickey Mouse is a famous cartoon character, perhaps the most famous. But there is also the phrase "mickey mouse," which may be traced back to the slang of World War II. But it's a bit of slang that falls into a gray area rarely visited by lexicographers.
Grapefruit Leads a Parade of Mixed Words

John Ciardi

Where did the name grapefruit come from? It's an obvious misnomer. There's nothing grape about the fruit. Some have tried to explain away physical reasons for the name. But the truth lies in that alley of language containing other mixed words, like eggplant.