[Ads-l] A newish construction and a newish euphemism

[Laurence Horn]

Has anyone encountered cases in which one X’s *someone else’s* way somewhere as opposed to just X-ing one's own way there?  I heard this from Lester Holt on tonight’s NBC Nightly News, and while it’s clear what’s meant, I didn’t know one could say it this way.  He was describing the ongoing college admissions scandal and referred to Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman being arraigned in court on…

“charges that they cheated their children’s way into college”.  

The euphemism is “edibles”, as in this Times piece:

Obviously, an edible is transparently anything that one can eat, but in this sense it’s a bit like “drink” = ‘alcoholic beverage’.  One of my favorites along these lines is the option in some college residences of opting for a “substance-free" floor.  

LH
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