Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began in 2001 under the U.S. Department of Transportation; in 2003, TSA was moved to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. New airport scanners…
Sarah Palin (the former governor of Alaska and Republican party candidate for vice president in 2008) tweeted on March 23, 2010: "Commonsense Conservatives & lovers of America:…
"GOPbagger" (GOP + teabagger) is an epithet for a Republican who supports tea party principles. The term is considered derogatory because of the sexual slang use of the word…
A "Teapublican" (also "TEApublican" or "TeaPublican") is a tea party Republican, supporting tea party ideals of low taxes and limited government. The opposite of a…
"Eat fish, live longer" is the slogan of Brooklyn's M. Slavin & Sons, Ltd., trademarked with a "first use" date of 1960. The slogan was also used by Paddy's Clam…
"Mobzdale" or "Mobsdale" is a nickname for Rosedale, Queens, that has been cited in print since at least 2003. The nickname has been used in Rosedale's large…
"Home of the Haze" is a nickname for Washington Heights. The nickname might come from the haze of the Hudson River, but is most clearly identified with the drug "haze" or…
"If you can read this, thank a teacher; If you're reading this in English, thank a soldier" is a patriotic bumper sticker saying that dates to at least December 2001. The origin of…
Conservative radio and television commentator Glenn Beck posted audio on his blog The Blaze, on November 16, 2010, of a comment at a National Socialist strategy session: "The labor movement…
"Shadyville" is a rap nickname for Mid-Eastern Queens, usually Queens Village but sometimes Hollis. "Shadyville" has been cited in print since at least 1995. Wikipedia: Queens…
"Little Norway," in the Sunset Park area of Brooklyn, was a popular area for immigrants from Norway in the 1880s and 1890s, but it's barely recognizable as "Little Norway"…
"My way or the highway" is a management style that means things are done the way that person says things are done, or people can hit the highway and get out. The expression…
"Grand Obstructionist Party" is a nickname for the "Grand Old Party" or "GOP" -- the Republican party -- used by those who believe that the Republicans are…
"FisCon" (or "fiscon") is a "fiscal conservative." "FisCon" has been cited in print since at least 2005 and was popularized in late 2007 and in 2008,…
"SoCon" (or "socon") is a "social conservative." "SoCon" has been cited in print since at least 1999 and has been a popular term in Canada. The United States…
The Battle for the Iron Skillet is the football game between the Southern Methodist University Mustangs and the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs. The first game was played in 1915. A skillet…
Baylor University (in Waco) and Texas A&M University (in College Station) have played each other in football since 1899, but the game didn't always have a special name. The Brazos River…
"The chicken is the only animal we eat before it's born and after it's dead" is a joke (or saying) that's been used from vaudeville days. Forms of the joke have been cited…
"A hand up, not a handout" is a political saying, most popular with conservatives. Government handouts are often associated with income redistribution from earners to non-earners. "A…
"Vote with your fork" (or "Voting with your fork") appears to have been coined by the Boston-based nonprofit organization Oldways Preservation and Exchange Trust in the 1990s. A…