[Photograph: Robyn Lee]

Barry Popik, a contributor-consultant to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, and the Yale Dictionary of Quotations, has an entry about the term "hocky puck" on his site as it refers to overcooked burger patties. He cites examples of its use in newspapers and books, the earliest being by Florence Fabricant of the New York Times in 1976.

Related: 'I Would Gladly Pay You Tuesday': The Origins of a Phrase