1. Earliest use in the neutral sense of speedy in "Dear Mr. Banker", by Nicholas P. Mitchell, published in The Greenville News of January 14th 1950:
"By the way, in spite of the fact that various Greenville bankers have explained to me why it isn’t a good idea, I still wish every bank had at least one teller’s cage reserved for people who want to cash a check or to make an individual deposit. Such transactions require about half a minute, but it is not unusual to wait in line fifteen minutes or more while those who are banking on behalf of business get their requirements met. ... But if we small fry had a “wham, bam, thank you ma’am,” line of our own, we’d all save a lot of time."
The phrase merely referred to suddenness before it was used as a slang for quick sexual intercourses.
2. The earliest occurrence of wham, bam, thank you ma’am with reference to sex is from the review of Ball Four (World Publishing Co. – New York, 1970), by the American baseball player James Alan Bouton, hence 20 years after its first use as an adjective. Bouton's review was published by John Justin Smith in the Star-Gazette (Elmira, New York) of June 10th 1970:
"Bouton says of ball players that they are not, by and large, “the best dates. They prefer wham, bam, thank you, ma’am affairs.”
3. It's used in the military to denote a sudden, forceful effect. Feel free to also use it to denote any sudden, quick action or effect, not just sexual ones. The intended meaning is highly contextual.
"By the way, in spite of the fact that various Greenville bankers have explained to me why it isn’t a good idea, I still wish every bank had at least one teller’s cage reserved for people who want to cash a check or to make an individual deposit. Such transactions require about half a minute, but it is not unusual to wait in line fifteen minutes or more while those who are banking on behalf of business get their requirements met. ... But if we small fry had a “wham, bam, thank you ma’am,” line of our own, we’d all save a lot of time."
The phrase merely referred to suddenness before it was used as a slang for quick sexual intercourses.
2. The earliest occurrence of wham, bam, thank you ma’am with reference to sex is from the review of Ball Four (World Publishing Co. – New York, 1970), by the American baseball player James Alan Bouton, hence 20 years after its first use as an adjective. Bouton's review was published by John Justin Smith in the Star-Gazette (Elmira, New York) of June 10th 1970:
"Bouton says of ball players that they are not, by and large, “the best dates. They prefer wham, bam, thank you, ma’am affairs.”
3. It's used in the military to denote a sudden, forceful effect. Feel free to also use it to denote any sudden, quick action or effect, not just sexual ones. The intended meaning is highly contextual.
"One of the most impressive things in the book is the lightning suddenness with which capital ships destroy one another. Wham! Bam! Thank you ma’am—and there goes a few hundred millions of somebody’s money to Davy Jones’ locker."
by Claude Eckel July 30, 2021
Get the Wham! Bam! Thank you ma’am mug.To compensate a male for a kind act with oral sex.
When her car broke down on the way home, a guy stopped and gave her a jump. Brandy thanked him with a blowjob.
When her car broke down on the way home, a guy stopped and gave her a jump. Brandy thanked him with a blowjob.
by Lauram_Ipsum November 21, 2024
Get the a Brandy thank you mug.Basically means that you talk too much, and/or have said too much, and the conversation is now over. Usually used in an interview or in the process of consideration of a candidate for a position or for entry into an organization.
Person 1: "I AM THE ONE, LIKE NEO IN THE MATRIX!!!! THIS IS MY DESTINY!"
Person 2: "Thank you for your time."
Person 2: "Thank you for your time."
by halbalbador November 22, 2024
Get the Thank you for your time mug.A phrase theatre kids will often use to confirm with the person speaking they have heard what has been said.
by cecelius September 8, 2025
Get the Thank you, five! mug.A stupid bot comment from youtube. (most found in youtube shorts). The way you explained this was SO clear. Thank you.
by Your_local_word_maker September 17, 2025
Get the The way you explained this was SO clear. Thank you. mug.Me: "Thank you, Urban Dictionary!"
by REDBOSS2008 November 19, 2025
Get the Thank you mug.You're not grateful and I only failed because defense of trans people my about Emma Vigeland and Frankie Tortallini being the defenders of trans people than it is about winning. And they suck too bad to win, so, there you go. It's Trump now.
Hym "They're like Jordan Peterson in that regard. But 'thank you for defending trans people' rings a little hollow when you consider that I only failed because the progressives who purport to defend trans people were an obstacle to success and are actively working to cover up the public humiliation of someone they CLAIM TO THINK is an anti-trans fascist bigot. So, how is Frannie defending you by doing that? And that's what I want the trannies to take away from this. These people you call your allies are lying posers who don't actually ever have to suffer the consequences of failure yet they feel wholey entitled to dictating success and/or failure. Actively bad people who are too incompetent to defend you and failed to do so."
by Hym Iam February 9, 2025
Get the Thank you for defending trans people mug.