Bolster is a funny word

Last month I posted about a typo on the website of a regional newspaper.

It was one of my occasional postings about errors but I observed recently that the same site again used a variation of the word 'bolster'. It seems they use it frequently, which reminds me of the line about how every journalist needs new cliches.

Bolster does seem like a good word for headlines though as it's short and is easily recognised as a metaphor or perhaps sometimes as an analogy.

Anyway, the use of the word 'bolster' here prompted me to look for a definition.

And when I looked at idea that bolsters might be pillows, I couldn't help but imagine them literally.

If you try thinking about "out-of-towners" as pillows you get this image of grey nomads in a pile with a bunch of Waggans eating and drinking on top of them.

Try it for yourself!