The Big Apple:

An etymological dictionary

Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.

“I’m just here for the beer”

"I'm just here for the beer" is a popular T-shirt slogan. The saying has been cited in print since at least 1994. Zazzle.comI'm Just Here For The Beer! Shirt 30 October 1994,…

“Women shop, men buy”

Retailers have long known that men and women have different habits, reflected in the adage "women shop, men buy." Men appear to know what they want and buy that one thing, but women like…

Candy Corn

Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Candy cornCandy corn is a confection in the United States and Canada, popular primarily in autumn around Halloween (though available year-round in most places).…

Circus Peanuts (candy)

The circus has long been known for providing hungry patrons with pink lemonade and peanuts for sale. "Circus peanuts" became a popular name, just like "ballpark hot dogs." The…

Pyramid Scheme

A "financial pyramid" is one where there are many people/investors at the bottom of the pyramid, but few at the top. A "pyramid scheme" pays off the oldest investors by getting…

Ponzi Scheme

A "Ponzi scheme" is the method developed by Charles Ponzi (1882-1949), using international reply coupons for postage stamps, to allegedly make money for investors. Ponzi's method was…