Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
"Why did the chicken cross the road?"/"To get to the other side" is a classic riddle from the 19th century. A dinosaur version is: Q: Why did the dinosaur cross the road?A:…
For traffic lights, "red" means "stop" and "green" means "go." For tomatoes, "red" means "go -- ready to eat" and "green" means…
A retirement riddle has been printed on several images: Q: What do you call a person who is happy on Monday?A: Retired. The saying was posted on Twitter on September 20, 2014. TwitterRudeNCrude…
A "hot" dog riddle is: Q: What do you give a dog with a fever? A: Mustard. It's the best thing for a hot dog! The joke has been cited in print since at least 1978. 25 February 1978,…
"Two's company, three's a crowd" is an old saying. A rain riddle is: Q: What did one raindrop to another raindrop?A: "Two's company but three's a cloud." The…
"Technically, sperm is a bodybuilding supplement" is a one-line saying that was posted on Reddit -- Shower Thoughts on September 5, 2015. The "bodybuilding" joke was also posted…
The song "Dixie Land" was written by Daniel Decatur Emmett and performed at Bryant's Minstrels at 472 Broadway, New York City, on April 4, 1859. Emmett had included the name…
"Blind" becomes "brined" to someone who replaces "L" sounds with "R" sounds. A pickle riddle is: Q: Why do pickles wear glasses?A: They're legally…
"N'erlins" or "Nerlins" for "New Orleans" was popularized by American actor Ryan Gosling, who hosted the New York City-based late-night live television sketch…
A Halloween riddle about health food was posted on the newsgroup alt.humor on October 15, 1998: Q: Why do ghosts eat only the finest quality health food?A: Because it's super-natural. A health…
There is a pun about work "shifts." "I got fired for putting in extra shifts at work. It's what you get for working in a keyboard factory" was posted on Twitter on March…
A lawn joke is: "I have a chicken-proof lawn. It's impeccable. English writer and comedian Tim Vine told the joke in 2012. . Wikipedia: Tim Vine Timothy Mark "Tim" Vine (born 4…
"Westoria" (west + Astoria) is a name coined in 2017 for west Astoria, Queens -- also called "Old Astoria" or "Old Astoria Village" -- in the area west of 21st Street,…
A Halloween riddle about health food was posted on the newsgroup alt.humor on October 15, 1998: Q: Why do ghosts eat only the finest quality health food?A: Because it's super-natural. A health…
"Why did the chicken cross the road?"/"To get to the other side" is a classic riddle from the 19th century. A sex version (NSFW) is: Q: Why did the sperm cross the road?A:…
The American animated sitcom
Auctioneers have frequently been compared to rappers. "Auctioneers, the original rappers" was posted on Twitter on March 5, 2009. "Were cattle show auctioneers the first…
Students read from textbooks, but why call them "text" books? Don't all books -- except picture books and blank books -- have text? "All this news about Texas text books got me…
Homeless people want change, but does that make them activists? "I just saw a homeless political activist begging for change. #worstjokeIcouldthinkofonthespot" was posted on Twitter on…
"When a bum comes up to you (...) Tell him, 'Change comes from within, man..'" was posted on the newsgroup alt.religion.wicca on December 24, 1999. "When a homeless guy…