Interesting Words and Expressions – The squeaky wheel gets the grease

“The squeaky wheel gets the grease.”

What does it mean?

This idiom means that the most noticeable (or loudest) problems (or people) are the ones most likely to get attention. It is alternately expressed as “The squeaky wheel gets the oil”.

Where does it come from?

The origin of the squeaky wheel idiom is unknown, but its current form is attributed to American humorist Josh Billings who is said to have popularized it in his putative poem “The Kicker” written in 1870.

I hate to be a kicker,

I always long for peace,

But the wheel that does the squeaking,

Is the one that gets the grease.

However, this poem has been attributed to various authors, anonymous or otherwise, and its provenance has never been verified.