Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Daniel WebsterDaniel Webster (January 18, 1782 – October 24, 1852) was a leading American senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil…
Frank McKinley "Kin" Hubbard (1866-1930) wrote in the "Abe Martin" newspaper cartoon on November 6, 1913: "There's no secret about success. Did you ever know a…
"Foodieotical" (foodie + periodical) was coined in April 2012 by the first annual Food Book Fair, held in Brooklyn. "Foodieoticals" celebrated food magazines -- especially those…
A popular children's chant is: Coca Cola went to town, Pepsi Cola shot him down. Dr. Pepper fixed him up, Now we all drink 7-Up "Pepsi-Cola went to town" was cited in print in 1960;…
"The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" is an old proverb meaning that everyone's situation in life is seemingly (if not actually) more desirable than one's…
"Guacapocalypse" or "guacpocalypse" (guacamole + apocalypse) is the disaster that strikes an eater when he or she realizes that there's no more guacamole left. Chipotle…
"We want a catcher, not a belly scratcher" is a child's rhyming baseball chant. "We want a catcher, not a belly-scratcher!" has been cited in print since at least the…
"We want a pitcher, not a belly-itcher" is a child's rhyming baseball chant. "We want a pitcher, not a belly-itcher!" has been cited in print since at least 1971. "We…
"If you think it's hard to meet new people, try picking up the wrong golf ball" is a jocular saying that, since at least 1989, has been credited to actor Jack Lemmon (1925-2001).…
THe financial blog Zero Hedge popularized "BTFD" (Buy The Fucking Dip) in 2010-11, stating that the "dip" was an opportunity to buy something at a cheaper price. This jocular…
A "red line" is a figurative point (this could be a country's border; it is not an actual red line) where, if crossed, actions such as war could commence. Several world leaders have…
A "martini shot" is the last shot on a film or the last shot of the day for a film crew -- after which the crew can all celebrate with martinis. It's not known when the slang…
"Brand X" often appears in advertisements to represent a leading brand or a generic brand of a certain product; the advertised brand always outperforms "Brand X." Old Gold…
At least six suspicious deaths of bankers occurred in early 2014. It was unclear if the deaths were suicides or homicides, and it was also unclear if the deaths were connected to form a pattern --…
The American Parasite is a 2013 30-minute video advertisement from Keybiotics about Candida, a genus of yeasts. The video became widely shared on the Internet. The Candida nickname of…
Pete Rose was a fiercely competitive baseball player. In an interview with Esquire magazine that was published in 1974, Rose said: "Winning is the only thing. Somebody's gotta win and…
"Order sniping" is a prank popularized by Dominic Harris in his YouTube video, "Drive Thru Order Sniping Prank," published on December 19, 2013. The video appeared on the…
An athlete who gives "100%" gives a total effort to the competition. An athlete who gives "110%" gives a 100% effort, plus even a little more than maximum effort.…
The sisters Victoria Claflin Woodhull (1838-1927) and Tennessee Celeste Claflin (1844-1923) formed the Wall Street firm of Woodhull, Claflin & Company in 1870. The female financial pioneers…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Google BooksApril 1983, Cincinnati (OH) magazine, pg. 101, col. 2 ad:BOTTOMLESS BRUNCHAll you can eat for $7.95.(...)The Bottomless Brunch that no one can top. Only at…