Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
"A4" is a popular paper size. "A joke about paper? You might have gotten an A4 effort!" is a pun that was posted on Twitter on October 23, 2012. "I tried to design a piece…
The Italian dessert "tiramisu" sometimes becomes "terrormisu" (terror + tiramisu) for Halloween. "Terror-Misu" was printed in the Los Angeles (CA) Times on May 30,…
Computer users hate when the computer freezes up as it is "buffering." "The only thing worse than a buffering video is a buffering ad before the video!" was posted on Twitter on…
"Do you run? Yes. Out of patience, fucks and money" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images -- especially running shirts. "Do I run?Yes. Out of patience,fucks and…
Rice (for dinner) is sometimes compared to cereal (for breakfast). "'Is rice dinner cereal?' -- my dad, 03/13/2016" was posted on Twitter on March 13, 2016. "Rice is just…
A music riddle is: Q: What do you call a group of musicians who stole all of their instruments?A: Bandits. The word "bandits" is meant to be a pun on the word "band." "What…
"Do you run? Yes. Out of patience, fucks and money" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images -- especially running shirts. "Do I run?Yes. Out of patience,fucks and…
The disease of "cirrhosis" sounds like "Sir Rhosis" (a jocular name that has been cited in print since at least 1968). "Sir Rhosis of Liverwhoorst" was posted on the…
Egg rolls are sometimes said to be the crusty version of cole slaw. "Veggie spring roll is like Asian version of deep fried cole slaw" was posted on Twitter on December 3, 2009. "I…
"Why did the chicken cross the road?"/"To get to the other side" is a classic riddle from the 19th century. A WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) version is: Q: Why did the WASP…
A gay bar riddle is: Q: What do you call a bouncer at a gay bar?A: A flamethrower. The joke -- based on the old gay slang of "flaming faggot" -- was posted on the newsgroup rec.humor on…
If someone could time travel, then wouldn't it make sense to play the lottery and win a lot of money? "What if the lottery is an Institution to catch Time Travelers?" was posted on…
"Why did the chicken cross the road?"/"To get to the other side" is a classic riddle from the 19th century. A tachyon (a particle faster than light) version is: Q: Why did the…
"Why did the chicken cross the road?"/"To get to the other side" is a classic riddle from the 19th century. A WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) version is: Q: Why did the WASP…
Fruits are sometimes called "plant ovaries." "Botanically, grapes, blueberries, cranberries, kiwis and currants are all berries; they are single fruits derived from the plant's…
"Success is like a fart. It only bothers people when it's not their own" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. "J. B. Steam's Homily: Success is like a…
"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." A physics version is: "A time-stretched sinusoid walks into a bar. The bartender asks,…
A vampire riddle is: Q: What do you get when you cross a teacher with a vampire?A: Lots of blood tests. The popular Halloween joke has been cited in print since at least 1986. Google Books696 Silly…
A popular Halloween riddle on the game of "hide-and-seek" (or "hide-and-go-seek") is: Q: What is a ghost's favorite game?A: Hide-and-ghost-seek. Hide and Ghost Seek: A…
Students in school are usually grouped by age ("date of manufacture"). "Is your child provided with opportunities to learn with those who share his passions and interests or just…