ðə tˈɜːm dᵻɹˈaɪvz fɹʌmðə ʃˈɜːmən plˈɛdʒ, ɐ ɹᵻmˈɑːɹk mˌeɪd baɪ ɐmˈɛɹɪkən sˈɪvəl wˈɔːɹ dʒˈɛnɚɹəl wˈɪljəm tˈɛkəmsˌeɪ ʃˈɜːmən wɛn hiː wʌz bˌiːɪŋ kənsˈɪdɚd æz ɐ pˈɑːsᵻbəl ɹᵻpˈʌblɪkən kˈændᵻdˌeɪt fɚðə jˌuːˈɛs pɹˌɛzɪdˈɛnʃəl ᵻlˈɛkʃən ʌv wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi fˈoːɹ.
The term derives from the Sherman pledge, a remark made by American Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman when he was being considered as a possible Republican candidate for the US presidential election of 1884.