“Nobody has ever bet enough on a winning horse”
"Nobody has ever bet enough on a winning horse" is a popular saying at the racetrack, but it has also been used since the 1980s as an investment proverb. Robert Byrne's book The 637…
“Men build houses; women build homes”
Newspaper writer and poet Nixon Waterman (1859-1944) wrote "House and Home" in 1897, containing the following verses: "The men of earth build houses, halls and chambers, roofs and…
“Love many, trust few, and always paddle your own canoe”
"Paddle your own canoe" was printed in American newspaper poetical verses in 1826, 1845, 1854, 1864 and 1866; some of the verses were sung. The New-York Mirror of May 23, 1840 defined…
Reverse Mortgage
A reverse mortgage is a mechanism available to seniors allowing them to stay in their homes, but to withdraw the equity in the home; it is also called a reverse annuity mortgage (RAM). The term…
Black Monday (head coach firing day after NFL regular season)
"Black Monday" has been the name for various events -- usually bad -- that occur on a Monday. The National Football League's regular season ends with Sunday games; the head coaches…
“It’s all right to drink like a fish — if you drink what a fish drinks”
"It's all right to drink like a fish — if you drink what a fish drinks" is a jocular one-line saying that was credited by H. L. Mencken's 1942 quotation dictionary to Mary…
“Don’t go wobbly” (“This is no time to go wobbly”)
U.S. President George H. W. Bush telephoned British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on August 26. 1990 about the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait earlier that month and United Nations Security Council…
Creepublican (creep + Republican)
"Creepublican" (creep + Republican) is a nickname used by those who think that Republicans are creepy. "Creepublican" has been cited in print since at least 1997.…
Dumpacrap or Dumpocrap (Democrat party nickname)
"Dumpacrap" or "Dumpocrap" is a derogatory nickname used by those who think a Democrat is a "dump of crap." "Dumpocrap" has been cited in print since at…
Dumpacrat or Dumpocrat (dump + Democrat)
"Dumpacrat" or "Dumpocrat" (dump + Democat) is a nickname used by those who think that Democrats are dumpy. "Dumpocrat" has been cited in print since at least 1999. A…
“If a man is right, he cannot be too radical; if wrong, he cannot be too conservative”
"If a man is right, he cannot be too radical; if wrong, he cannot be too conservative" has been credited to American humorist Josh Billings, the pen name Henry Wheeler Shaw (1818-1885).…
“Beer drinking doesn’t do half the harm of lovemaking”
Eden Philpotts (1862-1960) wrote in his play The Farmer's Wife (first performed in 1916): "Beer-drinking don't do half the harm of love-making. For why? Drink's a matter between…
“Gold is the devil’s fishhook”
"Gold is the devil's fishhook" (also "fish-hook" and "fish hook") is an American proverb that means that gold (or the desire to possess gold) captures people and…
“I feel sorry for people who don’t drink; they wake up, and that’s as good as they’ll feel all day”
"I always feel sorry for people who don't drink, because when they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're gonna feel all day" was said by the actor Jack Lemmon…
“You can’t drink all day if you don’t start in the morning”
"You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as poster, T-shirts and mugs. The saying has been…
“Folks spend their health to acquire wealth and later spend their wealth to regain their health”
"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…
Dirt Tank
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…
“Like a million bucks/dollars” (wonderful or excellent)
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
"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…
Butterfly Cut (cooking technique)
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…