Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
"There are a thousand ways to lose a horse race and only one way to win" is an old horse racing adage. "Jim Fitzsimmons has contended for many years that there are 1,500 ways to lose…
There's an old joke about government workers (civil servants): Q: Why don't civil servants look out the window in the morning? A: Because they'd have nothing to do in the afternoon.…
A pitcher often needs the first inning (and sometimes the second and third innings) to get into rhythm and settle down. Once a good pitcher gets into his rhythm and settles down, the other team is…
"Pressure can burst a pipe or pressure can make a diamond" means that pressure can bring out the best or the worst. ""Pressure made the diamond," entertainer Diana Ross…
"If the bar ain't bending, you're just pretending" is a weightlifting saying that has been printed on T-shirts and posters. "If the bar ain't bending, you're just…
"School" has been purposely misspelled many ways, such as "screwel," "screwl," "scrool," "scruel," "skrewel" and "skrewl."…
"Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life" is an old saying. "Choose a major you love and you'll never work a day in your life because that field…
"Jackpot fatigue" is what many lottery players experience, causing them to play the lottery less and less. Jackpots must get larger and larger to stir the same amount of interest. A $25…
"Muscles are torn in the gym, fed in the kitchen and built in bed" is a workout saying that has been printed on several posters. The saying was cited on Twitter on October 3, 2012. The…
"Role players play better at home" is a sports adage of unknown origin. Role players are picked up by the cheering fans of the home crowd, and the players are familiar with the home…
The West Point Bullion Depository began in 1937 near the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. It became the West Point Mint in 1988. The depository served as a storage facility for silver…
"Dumb Retards Asking for More Attention" is a backronym (back acronym) of the word "drama" that has been printed on many images. "DRAMA = Dumb Retards Asking For More…
"If you still look cute at the end of your workout, you didn't train hard enough" is a motivational saying that has been printed on many posters. "If you still look cute after a…
"On the other side of fear lies freedom" has been printed on many posters. The saying has been used as a motivational gym quote, but the source of the quotation remains unknown.…
"'I' is the only difference between fit and fat" (or "'I' is the only difference between fat and fit") is a motivational saying that has been printed on…
"I would rather be covered in sweat at the gym than in clothes at the beach" is a motivational saying that has been printed on many posters. The saying was cited on Twitter on April 9,…
U.S. President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863. The following anecdote appeared in a January 1864 newspaper: "Mr. Lincoln, when asked…
"That's racing" (or "That's racin'") is an expression that has been used both in horse racing and in auto racing. "That's racing" means that the…
"I'm not sure how many problems I have because math is one of them" is a jocular line that has been printed on T-shirts and ecards. "I'm not sure how many problems I have…
The expression "there's not enough coffee in the world" does not refer to the world's inventory of coffee. "There's not enough coffee in the world" means that no…