Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
"Now I lay me down to sleep" is a bedtime prayer that has been cited in print since at least 1711. Lectures can put people to sleep, prompting this prayer, first cited in print in 1939:…
Nelson Algren (1909-1981) wrote about this advice in A Walk on the Wild Side (1956): "Never eat at a place called Mom's. Never play cards with a man named Doc. And never lay down with a…
"Just for the halibut" is a euphemism for "just for the hell of it." "Let's go fishin' -- just for the halibut (helofit)" was cited in print in May 1941. The…
"Love means nothing to a tennis fan/player" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as T-shirts, buttons and posters. The joke is a pun on the word…
"Old soldiers never die -- they just fade away” is an old saying that was popularized by General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964) in his farewell address to Congress on April 19, 1951. Many…
"Old soldiers never die -- they just fade away” is an old saying that was popularized by General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964) in his farewell address to Congress on April 19, 1951. Many…
“Speed is subsittute fo accurancy" ("speed is a/no substitute for accuracy" intentionally misspelled) is a jocular misspelling showing that, indeed, speed is no substitute for…
"Democrats initiate, Republicans consolidate" was written by William Norman Grigg in The New American magazine (a publication of the John Birch Society) in the December 4, 2000 issue.…
The song "Life in the Fast Lane" was performed by the Eagles on the album Hotel California (1976). "Dieters live life in the fasting lane" is a jocular saying of unknown…
"Duty, Honor, County" is the motto of the United States Military Academy at West Point. The motto was adopted in 1898 from a committee headed by Col. Charles W. Larned. "Duty, honor,…
"Destructocrat" (destruction + Democrat) is a political term used by those who believe that Democrats are destroying the United States. "Destructocrat" has been cited in print…
A "climate cliff" is a point-of-no-return for the environment where man can't reverse man-made environmental problems. "Climate cliff" has been cited in print since at…
Far Rockaway suffered much damage from Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. A November 14, 2012 MyFoxNY.com report on the post-hurricane health problems in Far Rockaway was titled "Far Rockaway…
"Two peanuts were walking down the street -- one was assaulted" ("assaulted" is a pun on "a salted" peanut) is a joke that has been published on many websites.…
Hors d'oeuvres are often very tiny pieces of food. "Hors d'oeuvres: A ham sandwich cut into 40 pieces" has been credited since at least 1952 to the comedian Jack Benny…
"It's only money" means that there are other things more important than money. The person who loses money can get it back again. A person's health, for example, is always much…
"Time flies like an arrow: fruit flies like a banana" is often credited to the comedian Groucho Marx (1890-1977), but Marx -- if he ever said it -- almost certainly has nothing to do with…
P. J. O'Rourke is an author known for political satire. He wrote in Parliament of Whores: A Lone Humorist Attempts to Explain the Entire U.S Government (1991): "Politicians are interested…
'Spelling is a lossed art" is a jocular saying (a pun on the misspelled word "lost") that has been printed on many gift items, such as T-shirts and posters. "Spelling is a…
"I was a vegetarian until I started leaning toward the sunlight" said comedian Rita Rudner, who was probably exaggerating her vegetarianism. The one-line saying has been published on many…