English Language FAQ

Everything about the word hooley is disputed, including the spelling. Hoolie  or  hooley ?   Or even huly as it first appeared Bartlett's Dictionary of American English in 1877.   Origin A hoolie is now a generic term for a raucous part. The word is most commonly used in Ireland, but can be traced back to Orkney Scots, where it meant a strong wind or gale.  This derivation is evident in the idiom blowing up a hooley. Irish Words in English

A smoking gun is a weapon that has recently been fired. It is used metaphorically to describe incontrovertible incriminating evidence. 

Tsunami is a Japanese word combining 'tsu' (port)with 'nami' wave. This word seems to have replaced the more technical 'tidal wave' in public discussion. A broader metaphorical usage has developed to describe an overwhelming combination of events - the government has been overwhelmed by a tsunami of sexual and financial scandals. The word first appeared in a National Geographic Magazine article in 1896. On the evening of June 15, 1896, the northeast coast of Hondo, the main island of Japan, was struck by a great earthquake wave…

The Japanese Contributions to the English Language: An Historical Dictionary (p27) cites six words that arrived in the 1500s:

The words parody and satire are often used interchangeably but they are not synonymous .

Oxford English Dictionary editor, John Simpson, explains how Japanese words entered English in three distinct historical phases.