Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
Above, the header from the February 18, 1924 New York (NY) Morning Telegraph newspaper column of John J. Fitz Gerald. Click to see a portion of the column which includes his use of "Big…
"How did we go from 'cows are killing the climate' to 'let's build data centers everywhere'" and "We went from cows are killing the climate to let's…
"How did we go from 'cows are killing the climate' to 'let's build data centers everywhere'" and "We went from cows are killing the climate to let's…
"Judge a doctor by how hard she/he tries to get you off meds" (or "Judge your doctor by how hard he/she tries to get you off meds") is a saying that has been printed on many…
"Judge a doctor by how hard she/he tries to get you off meds" (or "Judge your doctor by how hard he/she tries to get you off meds") is a saying that has been printed on many…
"Nobody sees the struggle (before/behind success)" is a popular saying. Nobody sees the effort to work out and eat healthy, for example --people just see the results. There are two…
"Nobody sees the struggle (before/behind success)" is a popular saying. Nobody sees the effort to work out and eat healthy, for example --people just see the results. There are two…
Cannellini beans are white kidney beans. A joke has "Cannellini beans" as "can of Lini beans." "Turns out there are no such thing as 'Lini beans.' I read the…
Cannellini beans are white kidney beans. A joke has "Cannellini beans" as "can of Lini beans." "Turns out there are no such thing as 'Lini beans.' I read the…
Sheila Lukins (1942-2009) and Julee Rosso opened a small catering takeout place called The Silver Palate in 1977 at Columbus Avenue and West 73rd Street in New York City. One of the first dishes…
Sheila Lukins (1942-2009) and Julee Rosso opened a small catering takeout place called The Silver Palate in 1977 at Columbus Avenue and West 73rd Street in New York City. One of the first dishes…
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office in 2026, and one of his campaign promises was city-owned grocery stores, where food would be cheaper and more healthy. The portmanteau term…
"Chicken Ella:" is a dish popularized by the Luna Bar and Grill in Lake Charles, Louisiana (opened in 2004). "The 'Chicken Ella' at Luna Bar and Grill is a fried or grilled…
Entry in progress -- BP Tujague's Restaurant (Est. 1856), New Orleans, Louisiana -- History Timeless Traditions Guillaume and Marie Abadie Tujague took this advantage in 1852 when they married…
Niagara Falls, New York, has been called the "Cataract City." The word "cataract" means "waterfalls." "EAGLE AND CATARACT HOTELS, NIAGARA FALLS" was printed…
"If you see someone smiling naturally on a Monday morning, avoid them. That level of instability isn't safe" is a jocular saying that was posted on Facebook by Coffee on May 18,…
Niagara Falls (both in New York and in Ontario, Canada) has been called the "honeymoon capital of the nation" or the "honeymoon capital of the world." The "honeymoon…
The 1893 World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago World's Fair), at Chicago, Illinois, was dubbed the "White City" because so many buildings were white. The 1901 Pan-American…
The 1893 World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago World's Fair), at Chicago, Illinois, was dubbed the "White City" because so many buildings were white. The 1901 Pan-American…
Some people believe that Major League Baseball (MLB) is all about gambling, and that the games are rigged. An MLB backronym (back acronym) is "Major League Betting." "#MLB Major…