Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
American cartoonist Bill Watterson wrote a popular line in the comic strip Calvin & Hobbes: "God put me on this Earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I am so far behind…
In American football, the best pass defense is said to be a good pass rush -- not good pass protection. A good quarterback, if given enough time to operate, can beat good pass protection. The pass…
"Don't pay for saves" (or "Never pay for saves") is a fantasy baseball adage that was popularized by ESPN fantasy sports analyst Matthew Berry. "You remember me saying…
"You can't fake desperation" (or "You can't fake desperate") is a sports adage that was popularized by ESPN Radio sports host Ryen Russillo. If a team or a player is…
"Vehicle insured by Smith & Wesson" is a bumper sticker purporting to alert potential thieves that the vehicle's owner carries a gun (Smith & Wesson). "This vehicle…
A "Belmont Park" cocktail recipe appears in the book Americana: Eight Cocktail Napkins, Hand Blocked, with Recipes and the Histories of Eight Famous Drinks (1925?). The recipe contains…
The term "Big Apple" (or "Big Apple Circuit") usually refers to the racetracks of New York City (and, by extension, "Big Apple" for New York City itself), but the…
There's a joke about being a little behind in work: "The butcher backed up into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work." The joke has been cited in print since at least…
"Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die" is an old saying. "Eat, drink and be Mary" is a jocular variant, and "Eat, drink and be with Mary" was cited in 1905.…
There's a joke about being a little behind in work: "The butcher backed up into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work." The joke has been cited in print since at least…
One definition of a diplomat comes from the Cold War: "A diplomat is a person who can be disarming even though his country isn't." The Saturday Evening Post of February 16, 1956…
A joke about a cheeseburger is: Q: How do you make a cheeseburger sad?A: Make it with blue cheese. The joke has been cited in print since at least 2002. “What is the saddest…
"Vacation calories don't count" is a popular saying. Many vacationers are advised to go off their diets to try the local foods and enjoy the vacations. "Vacation calories…
Worms are sometimes found inside apples. There's a joke: Q: What did one worm say to the other?A: I'm moving to the Big Apple! The joke has been cited in print since at least 1997. Google…
A popular milk riddle is: Q: What has one horn and gives milk?A: A milk truck. The joke has been cited in print since at least 1952. “What has four wheels and flies?"/"A garbage…
A pun about the words "factory" and "satisfactory" is: Q: Where are average things built?A: In the satisfactory. "Where are average things manufactured? The…
"Ramen" noodles sounds like "raw men." A cannibal joke was posted on Twitter on June 30, 2011: Q: What do Asian cannibals eat??A: Ramen. Soup is often included in the joke.…
A popular riddle about eating is: Q: What is the difference between a hungry man and a glutton?A: One longs to eat and the other eats too long. The riddle has been cited in print since 1867.…
The term "laughing stock" has a pun: Q: What do you call cattle with a sense of humor?A: Laughing stock. The joke has been cited in print since at least 1975. "What do you get if you…
The "sawdust trail" (or "sawdust circuit") refers to the churches that preachers traveled to in the early 1900s. The trail to these tabernacles was usually covered with sawdust,…