Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
"Money talks” (meaning that money has influence) is an old financial saying, cited in print in various forms from before 1700. "Money talks" was printed in several American…
Film actor, writer and director Woody Allen had his character "Clifford Stern" speak this line in the film Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989): "My love life is terrible. The last time I…
"Men are like bank accounts -- without a lot of money, they don't generate much interest" is a humorous one-line saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as posters,…
Billy Sunday (1862-1935) was a popular American evangelist. Someone once commented to him that his conversions don't last. Sunday replied ( a version is cited in print in 1917), "Of…
Many people get fat when they are in their forties. "Fat, fair and forty" is a British satirical print from 1786. "Did you ever notice: The Roman Numerals for forty (40) are…
Grantland Rice (1880-1954) wrote, "For when the One Great Scorer comes to write against your name; He marks -- not that you won or lost -- but how you played the Game." "It's…
"Golf is a game in which you yell 'fore,' shoot six, and write down five" is a jocular one-line saying that has been included in many golf books and articles. "Golfer: One…
"Dark money" consists of political contributions from sources that aren't revealed before voters go to the polls. The "money" is"dark" because the public…
"No one wants to quit when he's losing and no one wants to quit when he's winning" is a sports philosophy taken from poker (gambling). No one wants to leave a game while at a…
"The trouble/problem with unemployment is that you never get a day off" (or "The trouble with being unemployed is that you never get a day off") is a jocular line that was…
"The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off" is a jocular statement that's usually credited to basketball coach Abe Lemons (1922-2002). Lemons said the quote in…
"Drunk as a skunk" means to be highly inebriated. Skunks aren't particularly known for drinking; the saying exists because of the rhyme. "Drunk as a skunk" has been cited…
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes employment statistics every month, but BLS critics have claimed that it often uses methods (such as not counting people who have given up looking for…
"When it comes to helping you, some people stop at nothing" was written in April 1959 by syndicated newspaper columnist Helen Bottel (1914-1999). "When it comes to giving, some…
When enemies (such as political enemies) "bury the hatchet," they make peace between themselves. "Nobody ever forgets where he buried a/the hatchet" means that the parties are…
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Cooter BrownCooter Brown, sometimes given as Cootie Brown, is a name used in metaphors and similes for drunkenness, mostly in the southern United States. Cooter…
"Coney Island butter" is another term for "mustard," a condiment used on the popular Coney Island hot dogs. There is only one known print citation for "Coney Island…
"ALCOHOL A liquid good for preserving almost everything except secrets" is a definition in the book The Foolish Dictionary... (1904), written by "Gideon Wurdz" (Charles Wayland…
"The noblest of all dogs is the hot dog; it feeds the hand that bites it" is a one-line joke that has been printed on several gift items, such as posters and T-shirts. ""The hot…
"Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" was published in the 1735 edition of the Poor Richard's Almanack, by Benjamin Franklin. "Early to bed,…