Investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases. Over 41,000 entries.
"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime." This phrase is popularly used in the business world, where it is often said that having…
"It takes money to make money" is a rhyming American business adage that dates to at least 1850. By at least 1888, the "take/make" rhyme was changed into the saying:…
"Happy hour" originally meant an "hour of happiness" (often childhood happiness) and is cited in print from about 1702. The term "happy hour" was used in the navy…
"Waiting for the other shoe to drop" is a popular business idiom. A person wears two shoes; when a person takes off one shoe and drops it on the floor, it's expected that the other…
A "widow-and-orphan stock" (or "widows'-and-orphans' stock") is a well-known, low-risk stock that pays high dividends. Widows and orphans have long been thought to be…
The name "city chicken" is first cited in Ohio on 1926. "City chicken" is not chicken at all -- it's cubes of meat (such as pork or veal) placed on skewers, then breaded…
"Triple witching" is the third Friday of March, June, September and December when stock index futures, stock market index options, and stock options all expire. The day is called…
Pulling a string is easy; pushing a string is difficult, with the string quickly losing its straightness. The term "pushing (on) a string" has been cited in print since at least 1910. In…
The collared peccary wasa familiar sight to Texans of the 19th century. The animal is popularly called "javelina" or ""jabalina" or "javalina" or "Mexican…
The tamal (tamale) can take a long time to properly prepare. Tamales are often served on Christmas (and other festive occasions); before the occasion, a tamalada (tamale-making party) is usually…
"Texas Trifecta" can mean any three things that are Texas-related. "Texas Trifecta" has been used to refer to three Texas cities --Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio or Austin.…
"Extra! Extra! Read all about it!" The cry of the newsboys is well-remembered, even if the newsboys haven't survived into the internet age of the 21st century. Newspapers published…
"What's black and white and re(a)d all over?" The newspaper riddle has been cited in print from at least 1824. WikiAnswersQ: What is black and white and read all over?In: Jokes and…
Economist Paul Samuelson used his Newsweek column of September 19, 1966 to show that the market and that economists often get things wrong: "Wall Street indexes predicted nine out of the last…
"The market can stay irrational longer than you can stay solvent" (or, "The market can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent") is a statement often attributed to…
"Never ask a barber if he thinks you need a haircut" is an old business proverb that has been printed on many gift items, such as T-shirts and bumper stickers. The barber is in the…
"Yo-yos" (named after the still-popular 1920s toy of a disk on a string) is the name of a Mexican sweet bread (pan dulce) that resembles the toy, minus the string. A "yo-yo" has…
Compound interest is so amazing an investment concept that it's been called the Eighth Wonder of the World. Credit for "Eighth Wonder" has been assigned to Benjamin Franklin…
"Time in the market is better than timing the market" means that, over time, the stock market will yield successful returns. It is impossible to accurately time the market highs and lows.…
In politics, an "honest man" is often described as someone (a politician or a voter) who, when bought, stays bought. A "dishonest man" is someone who sides with the person who…