Cup of joe

The most popular theory traces this nickname for coffee to Secretary of the Navy Josephus "Joe" Daniels, who in 1914 banned alcohol aboard U.S. Navy ships. The strongest drink available became coffee, which sailors supposedly started calling "a cup of Joe" in protest. However, some linguists believe it simply derives from "joe" as slang for the common man.

Explore More Origins

Hands down Piece of cake Mind your Ps and Qs Frog in your throat Under the weather Sell like hotcakes

Put your skills to the test

Many of the idioms explored here appear as hidden solutions in our daily cryptogram puzzle. Try solving today's cipher.

Browse All Phrases Play Today's Puzzle