Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a stock market index (named after Charles Dow, founder of The Wall Street Journal). Andy Hoffman, marketing director of the precious metals firm of Miles…
A joke about hunger strikes is: Q: When does a hunger strike stop?A: When hunger strikes. The joke was posted on Reddit on August 26, 2016. redditWhen does a hunger strike stop?submitted August 26,…
"Enemedia" (enemy + media) is a term that describes a media that issues propaganda, against the interests of most of the people consuming that media. "Enemedia" has been cited…
A "chork" (chopstick + fork) is a food utensil that that looks like a fork at one end, but then branches out into a pair of chopsticks. The product was designed for Americans who are…
"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." A potato version is: "A potato walks into a bar and all eyes were on him!" The…
Teflon is a no-stick cooking surface. People have been called "Teflon" when things (such as criminal charges) don't stick to them. Italian-American gangster John Gotti (1940-2002)…
"I'll hug your elephant if you kiss my ass" is the last line of a bipartisanship poem of unknown authorship, said to be from a Democrat to a Republican after an election. The poem…
"The calendar's days are numbered" is a jocular one-line saying that has been cited in print since at least 1899. "Every calendar's days are numbered" was included in…
"Club sandwiches, not seals" is a humorous saying about a serious environmental topic that has been printed on T-shirts and many other gift items. The T-shirt saying has been cited in…
A jocular statement about work has been printed on many images: "Things I hate about work:1. Waking up2. Humans3. Working" The list of three work complaints was first cited on Twitter on…
"Honk if you love Jesus. Text while driving if you want to meet him" is a popular bumper sticker to discourage texting while driving. "Honk if you love Jesus" has been on bumper…
A jocular grocery sign was in the comic strip Frank and Ernest: "Produce Dept. Notice! Take lettuce from top of stack, or heads will roll!" The Frank and Ernest comic strip joke was cited…
"My boss told me to have a good/great/nice day. So I went home" is a jocular line that has been printed on many images. "This morning my boss told me to have a good day... so I went…
Old-time cash registers had many sounds, such as rings, that were sweet music to merchants. The cash register was sometimes called a "Jewish piano," after the stereotype of Jews as…
Three-dollar bills were printed by various states in the 1800s, but there has never been a U.S. three-dollar bill. There are U.S. one-dollar bills and U.S. two-dollar bills. "Rufe Davis…
Many children living in cities in the 1800s sold newspapers and shined shoes; they were called "newsies" and "shiners." The term "newsboy" -- they were almost…
A boarding house usually has many boarders; boarding house pie is cut in many small slices so that each boarder has a piece. Anything that is cut many times into small pieces is said to be…
University of Texas head football coach Darrell Royal (1924-2012) was quoted in August 1966: "Trends are bunk. Only angry people win football games." Royal was talking about football…
Many children living in cities in the 1800s sold newspapers and shined shoes; they were called "newsies" and "shiners." The term "newsboy" -- they were almost…
The political term "healther" follows similar terms, such as "truther" (9/11 truth movement follower) and "birther" (presidential citizenship skeptic).…