Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
Clare Boothe Luce (1903-1987), an American author and ambassador, addressed an IBM Golden Circle conference in Honolulu, Hawaii, on May 28, 1978: "Above all, he is courageous. Courage is the…
"Gossip always travels fastest over grapevines that are slightly sour" is a popular modern statement about gossip. The saying appeared as "Today's Chuckle" in many…
"A reckless driver is one who passes you, in spite of all you can do" is a jocular one-line saying that has been cited in print since January 1924. The saying was printed in a syndicated…
"Some people battle their way to the top, while others bottle their way to the bottom" is a drinking saying that has been frequently reprinted. "Some men battle their way to the top,…
"Vacations are easy to plan — your boss tells you when, and your wife tells you where" is an old office joke. "VACATION: A period which your boss tells you when to take and your…
"Character is what you have left when you've lost everything you can lose" is a saying that has been included in many lists of quotations. Dr. Roy L. Smith, a Methodist minister and…
"The best way to go into business is with high hopes and low overhead" is a business quotation of unknown origin. "With high hopes and low overhead" was cited in print in 1973,…
"Everybody wants to eat at the government's table, but nobody wants to do the dishes" is a jocular saying that has been cited in print since at least 1972 (when it was not credited…
"Find a need and fill it" is a popular business saying. "The only justification for living is to find a need and fill it" was cited in print in 1935. "A sure fire recipe…
"Think things through -- then follow through" has been described as a sex-word formula for success. The saying has sometimes been credited to Scottish author Walter Scott (1771-1832), but…
"A holding company is a thing where you hand an accomplice the goods while the policeman searches you" was written by humorist Will Rogers (1879-1935) in a newspaper column on March 14,…
A "Stat Rat" is an inhabitant of Staten Island. The term "Stat Rat" has been infrequently used; depending on the context, it could be a term of endearment or an insult.…
"Winners are grinners and losers can make other arrangement" is a popular sports saying in Australia. The saying sometimes begins "winners can laugh' or "winners can…
"Hire character, train skill" is a saying that has been printed on many posters. "Hire character, train skill" has been credited since 2005 to former Porsche CEO and…
A baseball batter sometimes does not hit a ball solidly, but the ball floats between fielders for a "blooper" or "dink" hit. The baseball saying is, "a bloop hit looks like…
Bing is a search engine that was introduced on May 28, 2009; its main competitor was the industry search engine leader, Google. The name "Bing" doesn't stand for anything --…
The "prevent defense" is a football defense employed in the last seconds of a game (or a half); extra defensive backs are added to prevent the long touchdown throw. However, the prevent…
"Acquibill" (acquire/acquisition + kill) is a term used among tech startups. A larger company might not like the competition, so it acquires the startup and then kills its product.…
"If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit" is a jocular saying that has been cited in print since at least 1972. "If you can't dazzle them with…
"It doesn’t matter how much milk you spill, just so long as you don’t lose the cow" was popularized by business author Harvey Mackay, who used this line in his book, Swim With the…