{"id":1444,"date":"2022-02-23T23:08:02","date_gmt":"2022-02-23T23:08:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=1444"},"modified":"2022-02-23T23:08:02","modified_gmt":"2022-02-23T23:08:02","slug":"cup-of-joe-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/cup-of-joe-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Cup of Joe - Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Did someone invite you out for a \"cup of joe<\/em>?\" What do they mean? Are they talking about President Joe Biden or something? This post unpacks this idiomatic expression's meaning, origin, and use.<\/p>\n

Cup of Joe Meaning<\/h2>\n

\"A cup of Joe<\/em>\" refers to the world's favorite beverage, coffee. More than 60% of Americans start their day with a cup of coffee. Using a \"cup of Joe<\/em>\" to describe your morning ritual is commonplace, especially in America, but it's a common expression throughout the English-speaking world.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The expression refers to a standard cup of black coffee or specialized coffee drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. If you walk into a coffee shop and order a \"cup of Joe<\/em>,\" most baristas or waiters will assume you're referring to a cup of black coffee.<\/p>\n

Cup of Joe Example Usage<\/h2>\n

\"Man, I feel rough this morning, I need a cup of Joe<\/em> to wake me up and start the day, or I'll have to go back to bed.\"<\/p>\n

\"Life isn't worth living if I don't get my cup of Joe<\/em> in the morning. I'm useless without my caffeine fix.\"<\/p>\n

\"Do you want to come to the Starbucks for a cup of Joe<\/em>? It's on me.\"<\/p>\n

\"Liz, please could you get me a cup of Joe<\/em>? I need to wake up before my big meeting.\"<\/p>\n

\"More than 60% of Americans start their day with a cup of Joe<\/em>.\"<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

Cup of Joe Origin<\/h2>\n

The origin of the phrase \"cup of Joe<\/em>\" goes back to 1913. The appointment of Josephus Daniels<\/em> as secretary of the Navy by then-President Woodrow Wilson saw Daniels use the term in one of his general orders.<\/p>\n

General Order 99, issued on June 1, 1914, has Daniels issue a declaration prohibiting the use and storage of alcohol on navy vessels. As of this date, the strongest beverage allowed on the ships is coffee and nothing else.<\/p>\n

Sailors would frequently drink from morning to night on board the ships (that's the origin of being as drunk as a sailor). So, with their beloved alcohol out of the way, the sailors would call their coffee \"Acup of Joe\" about Joe Daniels and his General Order 99.<\/p>\n

Order 99 came into effect in 1914, and it wasn't long before the entire armed forces adopted this policy, banning alcohol from storage and use on base and on the job.<\/p>\n

While this origin story sounds plausible, some language experts state another source of the phrase. One theory suggests that \"Joe\" is a short version of \"jamoke\" and \"java.\"<\/p>\n