A History of America, through the mouths of those who lived it.

Year	Word	Etymology / cultural importance	OED	Google Books: First	Google Books: History	COHA First	COHA History
1823	Flunk	The editors of a Yale magazine made a plea to their readers "To joke in earnest, gentlemen, we must have, at least, as many subscribers as there are students in college or flunk out."	1823	1847: We "flunk" on this.	{Flunk} Decreased since it's beginning in the 1820. Increased from the 40s to the6 60s, then decreased again until 1890s, where it increased all the way to the 1960s.	1838: Why, little' un, you must be cracked, if you flunk out before we begin.	{Flunk} Incraesed from 1910 to the 1950s. Had a slight decrease in the 60s and 70s, and peaked in the 1980s.
1865	Commuter	A commuter was one who traded in multiple tickets for one that was good for multiple rides or a commutation ticket.	1865	1867: For this reduced fare they stipulated to carry each commuter one trip a day during a year;	{Commuter} Was in use but slight until the 1900s, where it shot up and peaked at the 1970s. It has started to decrease since then.	1880: The irascible anti peevish man who tries to be a commuter grows angry over what he calls the wretched mismanagement of the railway	{Commuter} Same as google, but peaked in the 1960s. It has decreased until the 2000s where it has started to increase again.
1887	Sideburns	General Burnside wore the opposite of an American fashion call the goetee by wearing heavy 'whiskers' on the side of his face, a moustache, and a clean shaven chin.	1887	1880: "I'm getting up parlor theatricals;" he said, “ and I want you to rig me out with a false mustache and a pair of sideburns.	{Sideburns} Ever since the 1900s it has slowly increased in usage. There was a drop from 1970 to 1990, but it is back on the rise.	1936: The sideburn, burnsides, mutton chops, or cotelette was worn by Colonist Eric Olson.	{Sideburns} Weird thing in the 1930s, there was a huge increase in the 1960s, a decrease until the 2000s where it has increased again.
1907	Melting-Pot	Originally stated by a Jewish Rabbi, it was made famous during a play with the title "The Melting-Pot". It is used to describe the mixture of cultures that America is known for.	1909	1917: "I have never seen men and women more stirred than the audience at The Melting Pot" (hard to find anything but the title)	{Melting Pot} Slowly increased since the 1900s. Had a small dip in the 80s but stayed relatively high.	1912: The fact that the common school in the United States is the real " melting pot of nations, " …	{Melting Pot}Increased from 1890 to the 1930s, then decreased until a huge jump in the 70s, where it's stayed constant.
1949	Cool	After WWII, Jazz introduced cool as a slang term. Its meaning of "keeping composure" was first used by African Americans.	1964	1953: "Be still and cool in thy own mind and spirit, from thy own thoughts…"	{Cool} Dropped from the 1940s to the 70s, and then started to increase (and is still doing so today).	1948: "Dad stuck to his act -- cool, detached but disapproving."	{Cool}Hard to read, put as a noun and it drops from 1940 to 1960 where it increases.
1970	Bottom line	This had been seen earlier, but was used as 'mean business' in the 1970 book "Up the Organization".	1982	1979: Beyond the bottom line…	{Bottom line} Increases since the 1970s.	1971: "So what's the bottom line?"	{Bottom Line} Barely in use until the 1970s, and it's increased ever since.
1991	About	You could say that a story is about a person, but that meaning with cities and inanimate objects started from the "what it's all about" saying common in the 60s and 70s.	Lots of definitions that could fall under this. 1937	2009: Business is about people and people are about emotions.	{About} This was on and off until the 1960s when it has constantly increased.	1993: Her life is about perseverance...	{About} The normal use of about kept it pretty low, but it jumped high in the 1990s and the 2000s.