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…
"Fall" can be a season, and it can also mean a drop. This pun was posted on X/Twitter by Funny Dad Jokes on April 6, 2026: "I survived a fall without a parachute... I've also…
Entry in progress -- BP
X/Twitter Bob Kostic @causticbob 'Dim sun to fight effects of climate change,' say scientists. I don't see how eating Chinese Tapas is going to make a difference. 5:10 PM · Apr 9,…
"Manual labor" (physical work) doesn't involve writing instruction manuals, but there are jokes. "Does writing an instruction book count as manual labor?" was posted on…
"Manual labor" (physical work) doesn't involve writing instruction manuals, but there are jokes. "Does writing an instruction book count as manual labor?" was posted on…
"Manual labor" (physical work) doesn't involve writing instruction manuals, but there are jokes. "Does writing an instruction book count as manual labor?" was posted on…
“Dress for the job you want, not for the job you have” is an employment adage. Does the same concept apply to the weather you want? Bluesky Adam Corlett @adamcorlett.bsky.social Dress…
Santa Claus rewards only good girls and boys, but the Easter bunny rewards everyone. This was posted on X/Twitter by slate (the account is now private, but a Bluesky post copies it) on April 15,…
Wikipedia: Dese Dem Dose Dese Dem Dose is a 1935 instrumental composed by Glenn Miller and recorded by The Dorsey Brothers orchestra. YouTube DESE DEM DOSE by the Dorsey Brothers 1935 cdbpdx Nov…
A classic joke involving Euripides (a Greek tragedian of classical Athens) and Eumenides (a Greek tragedy by Aeschylus) has been cited in print since at least 1931. The joke involves a tailor and a…
"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." A political version is: "A Socialist, a Communist, a Liberal, and a Progressive all…
"🎉made my last car payment🎉 I still owe a lot but I’m just not paying anymore" was posted on X/Twitter by Brent Terhune on October 24, 2020, and this received over 16,000 likes.…
"Hello, gorgeous!" is what a man in the 1920s might have said to an attractive woman. The saying appears in print in Ainslee's magazine in September 1926. The saying appeared in…
The name of "Twitter" (an American microblogging and social networking service) was changed to "X" in 2023, but many people still call it Twitter. "xtwitter (the x is…
Many people order a coffee that seems more like a dessert. This was posted on Facebook by Coffee on March 27, 2026: "If your coffee needs 4 pumps of syrup, whipped cream, and a drizzle……
Facebook im not right in the head.com March 27, 2026 at 3:10 PM · Shared by the abnormal Kenneth Wright (The following text is shown on an image. -- ed.) I LOOK NORMAL BUT I TALK TO DOGS LIKE…
LaffGaff Shire Horse by LaffGaff March 27, 2026 I recently bought a shire horse. My existing horse was too outgoing.
How did civilization evolve into filing taxes? This was posted on X/Twitter (and also on Bluesky and Threads) by Ꮍᴀᴇʟ on March 26, 2026, and it received over 35,000 likes: "We…
"🎉made my last car payment🎉 I still owe a lot but I’m just not paying anymore" was posted on X/Twitter by Brent Terhune on October 24, 2020, and this received over 16,000 likes.…