Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
One popular lawyer joke involves lawyers screwing their clients: Q. Why does the bar association prohibit lawyers from having sex with clients?A. They don't want clients to be screwed twice…
"Taxation without representation is tyranny" was a slogan of the American Revolution. A modern version of the saying is: "If Patrick Henry thought taxation without representation was…
A popular joke about "repossession" was told after the release of the film The Exorcist (1973). This joke was cited in February 1974: "Did you hear of the man who refused to pay his…
"If you exercise, you might get a trophy. If you don't, you might get atrophy" is a popular meme. "My trainer told me even if I don't win a trophy, I could get…
"Old soldiers never die -- they just fade away” is an old saying that was popularized by General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964) in his farewell address to Congress on April 19, 1951. Many…
"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." A math version is: "Two random variables were talking in a bar. They thought they were…
The Internal Revenue Service has Form 1040 for individual income taxes, and Form 1040EZ ("short form") for simple individual income taxes. A popular joke is that with the short form, the…
"Make the little things count. Teach midgets math" is a jocular line that has been printed on many images. The line -- without "midgets" -- is from the 19th century. "Makes…
A joke about salt and pepper shskers is: Q: What did the salt say to the pepper?A: Hey, what's shaking? The food joke has been cited in print since at least 1970. “What did the salt say to…
A popular joke illustrates a man's love for sports: "Complained the wife: 'You love football more than you love me.' Replied the husband: 'Yeah, but I love you more than I…
Chris Powell, Secretary/Treasurer of the Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee (GATA), gave a speech titled "There are no markets anymore, just interventions" in April 2008. Powell said about…
U.S. President George W. Bush supposedly said to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair at a G8 Summit in July 2002: "The problem with the French is that they don't have a word for…
"Rain" and "reign" lead to an obvious pun: Q: What do you call dangerous precipitation?A: A rain of terror. The joke has been cited on Twitter since September 12, 2013.…
A "dumb blonde" joke that involves employment is: Q: Why was the blonde late for work?A: She was stranded on the broken escalator. "Why was the stupid man late for work? The…
American novelist and journalist Edgar Watson Howe (1853-1937) wrote as one of his "Country Town Sayings" in 1911: "When a man says money can do anything, that settles it: He…
A typical restaurant question can have a jocular answer: Waitress: Do you have any questions about the menu?Diner: Yes. What kind of font is this? The joke was popularized by American actor Rainn…
"Lactose" sounds like "lack toes," prompting the pun: Q: Why do cows have hooves instead of feet?A: Because they lactose. “Why do cows have hooves? Because they lactose"…
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…
"Cherry pop" can mean a cherry soda, but it also has a sexual meaning. An old joke is: Q: Who made the first soft drink? A: Adam -- he made Eve's cherry pop. The joke was popular by…
The Indian Point Energy Center at Buchanan, New York, has frequently been called a "Chernobyl on the Hudson (River)." The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukraine had a disaster in…