Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
The Frog Prince fairy tale story by the Brother Grimm has, in some versions, the princess kiss a frog, turning it into a handsome prince. "You have kiss a lot of frogs/toads before you meet a…
What is now called Memorial Day in the United States began in the 1860s as "Decoration Day" -- decorating the graves of dead soldiers with flowers. The first official "Decoration…
"When you point your finger at someone, three are pointing back at you" refers to the index finger and the three other fingers exclusive of the thumb.The saying means that when you accuse…
"I don't deserve this award, but I have arthritis and I don't deserve that either" is said by some winners at awards presentations (especially entertainment awards), recalling a…
"A cannibal is a person who walks into a restaurant and orders a waiter" is a joke that has been attributed to American television actor and comedian Morey Amsterdam (1908-1996) since…
"Cocaine is God's way of saying you have too much money" was said by American actor and comedian Robin Williams following the drug-overdose death of his friend, comic actor John…
"Don't be a dick for a tick" is a financial adage meaning that one shouldn't negate a trade ("be a dick") by making it conditioned on something small (such as a…
"Great players aren't always great; they're just great when they have to be" is a popular sports adage. The saying is usually credited to John Facenda (1913-1984), a narrator…
People in business try to make a good first impression, whether it's to get a job or to get a client. "There's no taking it back, no second chance to change that burning first…
"You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist" was said by Indira Gandhi (1917-1984), the Prime Minister of India, on October 19, 1971, addressing peace prospects with Pakistan. However,…
"Do what you do best and delegate the rest" is a popular rhyming management adage. "Do the parts of your job that you like or do best — chances are, they're the same — and…
"Crimes conceived in hell don't have angels as witnesses" is a saying often used in criminal law. To prosecute criminals, district attorneys often have to use witnesses who are…
"Military chaplains bring God to soldiers and soldiers to God" is a popular saying among chaplains. "Bring God to soldiers and soldiers to God" was cited in Military…
"A bet against a champion is a bad bet" is an old saying that has long been popular with gamblers. "It is a foolish thing to bet against a champion" was cited in print in 1913.…
Genmaicha ("brown rice tea" in Japanese) contains toasted glutinous rice; some grains explode like popcorn when the tea is made. The genmaicha nickname of "popcorn tea" has been…
One of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower's (1890-1969) most famous statements on leadership comes exclusively from a book by his former speechwriter -- The Ordeal of Power; A Political…
"TBOTFG" ("The Balls On That/This Fucking Guy") was used by the conservative blog Ace of Spades HQ on May 3, 2013, in the blog post "TBOTFG: Obama Blames Mexican Gun…
"Pig Pickin's Cake" has been cited in print since at least March 1975, when The Robesonian (Lumberton, NC) stated, "The hostesses served 'pig-picking' cake, so named…
An "Arnold Palmer" drink combines lemonade and iced tea. A "Tipsy Palmer" (or "Tipsy Arnold Palmer") adds vodka or bourbon. "Tipsy Palmer" has been cited…
"Eggocado" or "eggvocado" (egg + avocado) is a baked egg inside an avocado. Recipes for the dish have been cited since at least January 2012 and have appeared on Tumblr and…