“There’s always room at the top”
Entry in progress -- B.P. [This entry was assisted by research from Stephen Goranson of the American Dialect Society listserv and from the Quote Investigator.] Wikipedia: Daniel WebsterDaniel…
“How do I like my eggs? Umm, in a cake”
"How do I like my eggs? Umm, in a cake?" is a jocular line that has been printed on posters and coffee mugs. "I like my eggs...in a cake" was cited on Twitter on April 21, 2010.…
“Toot and scramble” (tout ensemble)
"Toot and scramble" is a jocular Americanism for the French "tout ensemble" (all together). "Toot on scramble" was cited in 1853 and "toot and scramble" was…
“Peaches and gravy” (peaches and cream + gravy)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Sports IllustratedOriginally Posted: September 27, 2004They Said ItThink of the people quoted here as the spiritual descendants of Yogi Berra, imparting precious pearls of…
“My favorite seafood is saltwater taffy”
Caldwell Jones played center for basketball's Philadelphia 76ers when a local sportswriter asked him what was his favorite seafood. "Salt water taffy," Jones responded. The joke was…
Nervous Pudding (jello)
"Nervous pudding" has been a popular nickname for Jell-O because it shakes when it's handed off from the server. "'Don't get upset, Marge, calm your nerves with some…
“Heart attack on a rack” (biscuits and gravy)
"Heart attack on a bun” (a nickname for biscuits and gravy) is a dish loaded with potentially artery-clogging food. "Heart attack on a rack: biscuits and gravy" was printed in The…
Burn the British (toasted English muffin)
"Burn the British!" is old restaurant slang for an order of a toasted English muffin. The slang was recorded in New York Panorama: A Comprehensive View of the Metropolis, Presented in a…
Bronx Crepes Suzette (blintzes)
"Bronx crepes suzette" is a jocular name for "blintzes." Blintzes were popular with Jewish families in the Bronx -- and many Jewish families lived in the Bronx in the 1930s and…
“If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to slaughter”
"If the freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter" is a George Washington (1732-1799) quotation that became frequently used in the…
Frog Sticks (french fries)
Entry in progress. -- B.P. 30 November 1988, St. Albans (VT) Messenger Shopping News, "Burn one and take it through the garden," pg. 20, col. 1:"Wax a wimpy with frog sticks,"…
“Buy the book before you buy the coin” (coin collecting adage)
"Buy the book before you buy the coin" is a coin collecting adage. There are many coin collecting books that provide prices and other information. The saying is similar to Wall…
“You can’t fire the owner” (sports adage)
"You can't fire the owner" is an old sports adage. The coach can get fired, the players can get traded or released, but the owner runs the show. "You can't fire the…
“Learn, do, teach”
"Learn, do, teach" is one way that the learning process is made. "The 'learn-do-teach' cycle" was cited in print in 1977. It's not known who originated the term.…
Tools of Ignorance (baseball catcher’s equipment)
The "tools of ignorance" are a baseball catcher's equipment, such as the catcher's mask, chest protector and shin guards. 'Tools of ignorance" has been cited in print…
Battery Acid (coffee)
Entry in progress -- B.P. (Oxford English Dictionary)battery acid n. dilute sulphuric acid as used in a lead-acid cell as the electrolyte.1835 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 125 269 (heading) Nature…
Poor Man’s Manure (snow)
Snow -- especially a late snow in the spring -- has long been called the "poor man's manure" or "poor man's fertilizer." The snow contains nitrogen that helps plant…
“The best time to make a sale is right after a sale”
"The best time to make a sale is right after a sale" is a popular selling adage. That's the time when a seller's confidence is the highest, and success can follow success.…
Poor Man’s Fertilizer (snow)
Snow -- especially a late snow in the spring -- has long been called the "poor man's manure" or "poor man's fertilizer." The snow contains nitrogen that helps plant…
“A New Yorker is someone who longs for New York”
The blog Jeremiah's Vanishing New York, written by the pseudonymous author Jeremiah Moss, posted on June 19, 2008: "In the end, the NYPL host quoted Milan Kundera as saying, 'A…