Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
The Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) was founded in 1972 and was raided by government authorities in July 1991. BCCI's world-famous nickname in 1991 was "Bank of Crooks…
HAPILABS introduced the HAPIfork -- dubbed a "smart fork" -- at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January 2013. The fork keeps track of eating habits and vibrates and lights…
"Buy cheap, buy twice" (or "when you buy cheap, you must buy twice") is a saying that means that quality -- while initially costing a little more -- will last longer and will…
New York Jets head football coach Herman Edwards told his team in 2005: "I'm happy as long as we're kicking the ball. Extra points, field goals and punts, doesn't matter. As…
"Past performance is no guarantee of future results" is a disclaimer found on nearly every financial prospectus. "While past performance is, of course, no guarantee of future…
"Ride your own ride" is a popular motorcycle adage about riding in groups. Some group members are more experienced and can go faster than others, but one should always "ride your own…
Brushing one's teeth with toothpaste and then drinking orange juice results in an unpleasant taste, but it's usually not fatal. "Beer before liquor, never sicker" is an old…
"If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy" is a popular quotation that has been credited to James Madison (1751-1836), but there is…
"Officialdom" is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as "the domain, sphere, or ways of officials; officials collectively, especially regarded as being inefficient or…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wildcat banking refers to the unusual practices of banks chartered under state law during the periods of non-federally regulated state banking between 1816 and 1863 in the…
'Pet bank" is a derisive term that was applied to state banks that were selected to receive government deposits in 1833, taking the place of the Second United States Bank that President…
A "relief rally" (or a "sigh-of-relief rally") is when a market picks up after a period of bad or uncertain news. For example, at the end of 2012, the federal government in…
Brooklyn's Harry Chapin Playground was a place where used toys could be dropped off so that other children could play with them. The playground was nicknamed "The Island of Misfit…
The term "pearl of the prairie" has been used since at least 1880, when there was a show titled Buffalo Bill at bay or, The pearl of the prairie. According to The Handbook of Texas…
Willie Morris (1934-1999) was born in Jackson, Mississippi, and became editor of Harper's magazine in 1967. An article in the June 1967 Harper's was titled "A provincial in New York:…
The cherimoya is a fruit of the species Annona cherimola and is commonly found in Peru. as well as other parts of South America and Central America. It has been called the "ice cream…
"Weed candy" is candy that is made with marijuana as an ingredient. The candy is often packaged to look like brand name candy, with just slightly different names. California police gave…
The expression "the big lie" was popularized by Adolf Hitler's book Mein Kampf (1925), published in an abridged English edition in the fall of 1933 and in a more complete English…
"Snitches get stitches" (also "snitches wear stitches") is a street slang warning not to cooperate with the police ("snitch") or there will be violence…
"There is no First Amendment without the Second Amendment" is a popular saying among Americans against gun control legislation. The American Revolution was fought with guns; the Second…