The Big Apple:

An etymological dictionary

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

Texas Breakfast

Texas Bix Bender included this line in his book Don't Squat with Yer Spurs On! II (1997): "A Texas breakfast is a two-pound hunk of steak, a quart of whisky, and a hound dog. If…

“Only a buzzard feeds on its friends”

"Only a buzzard feeds on his/its friends" has been on a popular Internet list of sayings titled "A Cowboy's Guide to Life." Texas Bix Bender has used "Only a buzzard…

“We eat with our eyes first”

The expression "we eat with our eyes (first)" means that we see food before we eat it, so food preparation should also include making the food appear attractive. The Chinese poet and…

Brimaquonx

"Brimaquonx" (Brooklyn + Staten Island + Manhattan + Queens + Bronx) was once suggested as the name for New York City. The proposed name is known largely through a mention in Mario…

Bank Holiday

A "bank holiday" is a day when the bank is normally open (such as a weekday), but when it's closed instead. Bank holidays in the United States usually occur on federal holidays, such…