Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
People get parking tickets, and dogs get...barking tickets? A riddle has been cited in print since at least 1975: Q: Why did the dog go to court?A: Because he got a barking ticket. 6 July 1975,…
"Keep your heels, head & standards high" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "Preach it skeeter RT @cindyyloohoo: Keep your heels, your head and your standards…
"A house is made of wood and stone, but only love can make a home" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "Houses are made of wood and stone, But Homes are made of Love…
A riddle about Jolly Rancher candy is: Q: What do you call a happy cowboy?A: A jolly rancher. "What do you call a gay farmer?" was cited in 2000, "What do you call a happy…
A riddle about ducks and crackers is: Q: What is a duck's favorite snack?A: Quackers (quack + crackers). "Quacker Oats" has been cited in print since at least 1978, and…
"The secret ingredient is one heaping teaspoon of love" is a saying that has been printed on many images. The saying was posted on Twitter on January 9, 2014. Authorship is unknown.…
A basketball riddle is: Q: What kind of pig plays basketball?A: A ball hog. "What do you call a pig who plays basketball.....A BALL HOG" was posted on Twitter on July 30, 2009. The joke…
"Graduate" is sometimes written as "grad u ate" or "grad you ate." "What movie was based on the memoirs of a college cannibal? A: The Grad u ate" -- a pun on…
The sports network ESPN has had some puns on its name, such as "ESPNage" (espionage). "A man was spying on the operations of a national cable sports network. The police caught him…
A "Big Apple" joke was posted on Reddit -- Jokes on September 16, 2017: Q: Where's the worst place to bring someone who's allergic to apples?A: New York. Twitter Harrison…
The sports network ESPN has had some puns on its name, such as "ESPNage" (espionage). "A man was spying on the operations of a national cable sports network. The police caught him…
"My door is always open" -- meaning that one is welcome -- is what some administrators and businesspeople say. "If anyone out there is interested in learning how to fix hinges, my…
A "Big Apple" joke was posted on Reddit -- Jokes on September 16, 2017: Q: Where's the worst place to bring someone who's allergic to apples?A: New York. Twitter Harrison…
Many people believe that there is "safety in numbers." "Fifty million Frenchmen can't be wrong" was a popular song in 1927. English stand-up comedian Jimmy Carr has used…
"Derrière" sounds like "dairy air." A milk joke was posted on Reddit -- Puns on August 23, 2017: Q: What does a fart from a hard-core milk drinker smell like?A: Dairy-air. A…
"Produce" sounds like "pro-deuce," and a pun is: "Fruits and vegetables prevent constipation. That's why they call it pro-deuce." "Deuce" means…
A gun is a "firearm," or "arms" in the plural. "Guns" is slang for "biceps." A popular question is: "Why do they call guns arms and arms guns?"…
A computer riddle is: Q: Why was the computer mad when he got home?A: Because he had a hard drive. The joke was posted on Twitter on September 12, 2014, and on Reddit -- Jokes on September 15,…
"Capitalism without socialism is fascism. Socialism without capitalism is communism" is a political science saying that has been printed on several images. Origin is unknown.…
Students who pass an exam easily are said to do so "with flying colors." It's sometimes joked that the test was a fireworks exam. "Just passed the fireworks inspection with…