Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been nicknamed by some critics as the "Fraud and Death Administration" since at least June 15, 1996, when this was posted to the newsgroup…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was popularly nicknamed the "Federal Death Administration" in 1988, when some critics complained about its slow approval of drugs to fight…
A popular New Yorker or Israeli joke has a reporter ask several people, "Excuse me, what's your opinion of the meat shortage?" "What's 'opinion'?" asks the…
A fat joke about fat jokes is: Fat people who get offended by fat jokes should really lighten up." "You fat people who get offended when people make fat jokes around you I have two words…
A popular Valentine's Day riddle is: Q: What did one oar say to the other?A: Are you up for a little row-mance? The joke was posted to the newsgroup alt.humor.puns on February 14, 2004 and has…
"40 is the new 30, but try telling that to a speed camera" is a jocular one-line saying that has been printed on GIFs. The joke has been cited in cited in print since at least 2007. The…
How often should you apply for the same job? "If you want to work for a company that makes moisturizer, the best thing to do is to apply daily" was posted on Twitter on November 5, 2012.…
A riddle about knowing multiplication tables is: Q: Why are waiters good at math?A: They know all their tables. The joke was included in a 1983 book on riddles and puns. Google BooksRemember the a…
A fat joke is: WIFE (looking in the mirror): I look fat. Please give me a compliment.HUSBAND: You have perfect eyesight. The joke has been cited in print since at least 2003 and has been printed on…
A pun about "degrees" is: Q: Why doesn't the sun go to college?A: Because it has a million degrees. The riddle was posted on Twitter on August 29, 2009. “My college graduation was…
"How does you name appear on your credit card?" is a typical credit card question, asking about a name's spelling and any middle name or initial. However. several jokes take this…
A popular Valentine's Day joke is: MAN: Do you have a date for Valentine's Day?WOMAN: Yes. February 14th. The joke was posted on Twitter on September 4, 2012 and has been printed on…
"Out of the mouths of babes" is a biblical saying, usually meaning that the young are honest and tell the truth. A jocular and literal meaning is: "Out of the mouths of babes, often,…
A "barn dance" is a traditional dance, usually with traditional or folk music, sometimes (and probably originally) held in a barn. A popular barn dance joke is: "I took her to a barn…
A popular "yo mama" insult joke is: "Yo mama is so stupid, she tried to put M&M's in alphabetical order." Of course, they are all the letter "M." The joke has…
A jocular list of "Golf Rules" has been cited in print since at least 2002. Rules include "Form a loose grip" and "Stay out of the water." At the end of the ten rules…
A Christmas version of the "Roses are red" poem is: "Roses are red, violets are blue-ish. If it weren't for Christmas we'd all be Jewish." The poem has been cited in…
A coffee riddle has been cited in print since at least 1851: Q: When has a man a right to scold his wife about his coffee?A: When he has sufficient grounds. This was made into a lawyer joke by at…
"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." A superconductor version is: "Yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) walks into a bar. The…
"Accordion" sounds somewhat like "according." "Accordion to research, in everyday conversation a musical instrument replacing a word often goes unnoticed" was posted…