Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
"Why is it that the less important you are in a company, the more your tardiness or absence is noticed?" was cited in print in 1998. "Kauffman's Paradox of the Corporation: The…
"Miller's Law of Insurance: Insurance covers everything except what happens" has been cited in print since at least its publication in The Complete Murphy's Law: A Definitive…
The Washington (DC) Post held a contest requesting new words from old words, with only one letter changed. One winner was declared in August 1998: "Intaxication: euphoria at getting a refund…
The Bible includes the sayings "The meek shall inherit the earth" (Psalms 37:11) and "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5). "The meek shall…
"Debtberg" (debt + iceberg) is a reference to the RMS Titanic that hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic Ocean and sank on April 15, 1912. Like an iceberg, the debt obligations of the…
Malcolm Forbes (1919-1990), the publisher of Forbes magazine, said in 1975: "It's so much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much about the problem." This…
Economic historian Charles P. Kindleberger (1910-2003) wrote in Manias, Panics and Crashes: A History of Financial Crises (1978 and subsequent editions): "In my talks about financial crisis…
H. L. Mencken (1880-1956) wrote in his magazine The Smart Set in June 1913: "A JUDGE is a law student who marks his own examination papers." "A judge is a law student who marks his…
"A well-adjusted person is one who makes the same mistake twice without getting nervous" means that the well-adjusted person is not afraid to make make mistakes -- and he or she usually…
"Revenge is sweet" is a proverb that dates to at least the 16th century. 'Revenge is sweet and not fattening" has been credited to the film director Alfred Hitchcock…
Helen Rowland (1875-1950) wrote in her column "Bachelor Girl Reflections" in the Washington (DC) Post on June 5, 1919: "Love, like a chicken salad or restaurant hash, must be taken…
"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy ice cream" (or "Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy ice cream") is a popular saying that has been printed on posters.…
"Life Insurance...the older you get the more it costs" has been cited in life insurance advertisements since at least 1905. In March 1911, Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard…
"Democracy Plaza" is the name that NBC has used in 2004 (and other subsequent presidential elections) for its election headquarters at Rockefeller Center. The skating rink is transformed…
Hurricane Sandy hit New York City in the evening of October 29, 2012. The Con Ed power company experienced many problems and power went out over lower Manhattan for several days. Manhattan below…
"We live in an age when pizza gets to your home before the police" is a one-line joke from Baltimore-born comedian Jeff Marder. The line has been cited in print since at least 1994 and…
"The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win you're still a rat" has been credited to American actress Lily Tomlin, who said this in 1977. The line has been included in…
American poet Richard Armour (1906-1989) wrote this poem for the book Going Like Sixty; A Lighthearted Look at the Later Years (1974): "Retired is being tired twice, I've thought:First…
"My favorite animal is steak" is a line that has been credited to American author Fran Lebowitz and reprinted in many books about food and humorous quotations. Lebowitz probably…
Comedian Fred Allen (1894-1956) wrote in Treadmill to Oblivion (1954): "To me, an advertising agency is 85 per cent confusion and 15 per cent commission." The quotation has been…