Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
Mad magazine (a humor magazine) made fun of magazines when it published the following joke in 1960: "Magazine . . . bunch of printed pages that tell you what's coming next issue."…
"Cheese is the adult form of milk, no longer liquid but solid or semi-solid" was written by André Simon in his book Cheeses of the World (1956). The line is more frquently credited,…
Andy Rooney (1919-2011) was a humorist who had a syndicated newspaper column and who made video essays for the popular 60 Minutes television program. Rooney wrote in a May 1981 newspaper column:…
"Sports is the toy department of (human) life" was first said by New York City sportswriter Jimmy Cannon (1909-1973). It's not known when he first said it, however. The saying means…
"When a habit begins to cost money, it is called a hobby" is a jocular one-line saying that appears to have been coined in the "Little Liz" newspaper comic strip in January…
A "four-letter word" usually means a profanity. "Diet" is a four-letter word (that is, something profane and not to be discussed) for certain people who like to keep their food…
"Before borrowing money from a friend, decide which you need more" is a saying that has been cited in print since at least 1961. Addison H. Hallock has been most frequently credited for…
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1922-2007) wrote in the introduction to his novel Mother Night (1961): "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." "You are…
"A consultant is someone who saves his client almost enough to pay his fee" is a jocular saying that has been attributed to Arnold H. Glasgow, an American psychiatrist, since at least…
"Do you solemnly swear or affirm that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god?" is a sworn oath. Politicians are often said to have a problem…
"Government/Washington does not solve problems -- it subsidizes them" is a line that Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) used many times as governor of California and while campaigning for…
"A bargain is usually something you can't use at a price you can't resist" (or, in a later form, "A bargain is something you don't need at a price you can't…
"Efficiency is a highly developed form of laziness" is a saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as T-shirts, hats and buttons. The lazy person wants to be efficient so he…
"Teaching is the greatest act of optimism" has been credited to Colleen Wilcox, a Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools for 14 years. It's not known when Wilcox said the…
Clostridium perfringens has been nicknamed the "cafeteria germ" since at least 1983. The germ grows when large quantities of food are prepared long before being consumed and are left out…
The movie Forrest Gump (1994) contained the famous line: "My momma always said, 'Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.'" There have been…
McDonald's fast food restaurants introduced the "CBO" (cheddar-bacon-onion) sandwich in 2012. The sandwich can be made with either meat or chicken. The "CBO" was introduced…
The Simon R. Guggenheim Museum, at 1071 Fifth Avenue, was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) and completed just after his death. The design of the museum caused much controversy. Reactions…
The first "twelve step program" was used by Alcoholics Anonymous in the 1930s. "The 12-step chocoholics program: Never be more than 12 steps away from chocolate" is a jocular…
Milton Snavely Hershey (1857-1945) established the Lancaster Caramel Company in 1885; he visited Chicago's World Columbian Exposition in 1893 and became fascinated with the German…