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’ammug. by Jamie'sBFF August 14, 2014
Get the thank yowmug. Shawna: "Hey everyone! Bella is single now, so she's dating again if you're interested!"
Bella : "Shawna! What are you doing?!"
Shawna: "I'm helping you out, girl!"
Bella: "Oh. You're so kind, I think you deserve a thank you slap!"
Bella : "Shawna! What are you doing?!"
Shawna: "I'm helping you out, girl!"
Bella: "Oh. You're so kind, I think you deserve a thank you slap!"
by just like honey November 19, 2022
Get the Thank you slapmug. A phrase used to avoid saying “I love you”. Often used when you are in a 2008 show where the characters are not confirmed as homosexuals despite their obvious romantic feelings for each other.
by anonymous December 20, 2022
Get the Thank Youmug. A valid-but-rather-insensitive retort dat could be given when a naively-hopeful lady complains dat a guy whom she'd assumed would become a "real" romantic partner for her merely performed a brief "wham, bam, thank you, ma'am" routine and then bailed on her.
If a dude tries to "comfort" you after you'd suffered a failed romantic encounter by saying, "Hey, at least he did have the decency to THANK you for the sex", this may indicate dat HE HIMSELF is somewhat of da same "only interested in one thing" mindset as your unfeeling "cut and run" date was, and so he might not be a very good "main squeeze" candidate for you, either.
by QuacksO February 28, 2020
Get the Hey, at least he did have the decency to THANK you for the sexmug. Joe: Why were you late to class today?
John: I was trying to walk through the hall, but had Thank You For Being a Friend in front of me!
John: I was trying to walk through the hall, but had Thank You For Being a Friend in front of me!
by Mr. Fazbear May 24, 2025
Get the Thank You For Being a Friendmug. by Mr Hammo June 10, 2022
Get the OK thanksmug.