Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
"Health is wealth is an old proverb, and a version of it is "Folks spend their health to acquire wealth and later spend their wealth to regain their health." "Janesville people…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Google BooksThird Annual Report of the Geological Survey of Texas, 1891By Geological Survey of Texas (E. T. Dumble, State Geologist)Austin, TX: Henry Hutchings, State…
Something that looks/feels/sounds/tastes/smells "like a million bucks/dollars" is something that is wonderful or excellent. "A good dinner looked like a million dollars to me…
"Taco guts" is another term for "taco filling" -- the stuff placed inside the taco shell. "Taco guts" has been cited in print since at least 2003, but has been used…
To "butterfly" a food (such as a steak) is to place it flat, cut it nearly in half starting from one side almost completely to the other, and to then open and spread the food out, as if…
"Dignity is one thing that can't be preserved in alcohol" is a saying that dates to the Prohibition era in 1928, when it appeared in the newspaper comic strip "Flapper Fanny…
"Death rides with the drinking driver" has been cited in print since 1935 and was one of the first slogans against drinking and driving. The slogan achieved popularity in the late 1930s,…
"Call me anything you like, but don't call me too late for/to dinner" is an old joke that has been cited in print since at least 1833. A farce by Richard Jones called Too Late for…
"Like riding a bicycle" is an expression meaning that once something is learned, it is not forgotten. "It's like riding a bicycle, You never forget" was cited in print in…
"Chalk it all up to experience" is what is sometimes said after a loss. Chalk boards were used in sports to keep score, but it is not clear if the expression comes from sports.…
"'Tis the taste that tells the tale" is a slogan that has been associated with several products and restaurants. "The Taste -- That Tells the Tale" was cited in a 1906 ad…
Charles W. Colson (1931-2012) wrote in The Body: Being Light in Darkness (1992): "Today this mentality translates into what we call the pedestal complex; it is rampant throughout the church.…
"Make yourself at home! Clean my kitchen" is a joculat statement that has been printed on many gift items, such as posters and bumper stickers. The saying has been cited in print since at…
"Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted" is a popular saying that became even more popular when it was used by Randy Pausch (1960-2008) in his book speech…
"A bicycle can't stand alone; it is two-tired" (a pun on "too tired") is a frequently told bicycle pun with a long history. "Unless the wheel is two tired it…
The joke about "eating with one chopstick" has several variations. "Who eats with one chopstick goes hungry" was cited in print in 1967. "I've got a sure-fire diet…
"Santa's helpers are subordinate clauses" (that is, subordinate Santa Clauses) is an annual Christmas pun that's frequently included in Christmas joke collections. "Regards…
"It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it" (or, "it's dirty work, but someone's gotta do it") is a popular cliché said about difficult jobs. In 1955,…
The Peace Corps has used the slogan "The Toughest Job You'll Ever Love" since 1978. Parenting is often called "the hardest/toughest job you'll ever love," and a 1990s…
"Instant human -- just add coffee" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as posters, T-shirts and coffee mugs. The saying has been cited in print since at…