Degrowther
A "degrowther" is someone who believes in "degrowth" -- that there are too many factories, too many cars, too much urban sprawl, and so on, and that these things must be…
“Liberty is a demand. Tyranny is submission”
"Liberty is a demand. Tyranny is submission" has been the sig line of commenter "kchrisc" on the Zero Hedge blog since at least April 2015. "Liberty is a demand. Tyranny is…
“Turkeys don’t vote for Christmas”
"Turkeys don't vote for Christmas" is a popular politican saying in the United Kingdom, where Christmas turkey is a famous dish. If turkeys were allowed to vote, they would never…
“Hit the books” (to study)
To "hit the books" means to study them. There are many other "hit" sayings; "hit the sack" and "hit the hay" both mean to go to bed, and "hit the…
“The key to happiness is to find a woman who can cook, clean and is great in bed” (joke)
A joke is told about happiness: "The key to happiness is to find a woman who can cook, clean and is great in bed -- and it's important that these three women never meet." The joke --…
“Don’t cheat yourself. Treat yourself”
"Don't cheat yourself. Treat yourself" is a popular saying that has been frequently used with food. "Don't Cheat Yourself buying inferior goods. Treat yourself with a box…
Money Muscle (pork butt)
The "money muscle" is a part of a Boston butt that is tender and is located on the opposite side of the blade bone. The name "money muscle" has been cited in print since at…
“You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” (to do one another favors)
"You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" is a famous business proposition, similar to the Latin quid pro quo. "Scratch my Back, and I'll claw your Elbow" was cited…
“He could sell ice to an Eskimo” (a good salesman)
"He could sell ice to an Eskimo" -- meaning that he can sell something to someone who has no need for it -- is an old expression to show that a person is a good salesman. "There are…
“Get a foot in the door” (get an opening to an opportunity)
The expression "get a foot in the door" comes from the days of door-to-door salesmen around 1900. A salesman would stick his foot in the door so that the door coudn't be closed, thus…
“Children learn what they live”
Dorothy Law Nolte (1924-2005) wrote verses under the title "Children Learn What They Live" for the Torrance (CA) Herald in 1954. She later published theverses in the book Children Learn…
“Why don’t chickens play baseball?” (joke)
A popular children's pun about baseball is: Q: Why don't chickens play baseball? A: Because they hit fowl balls. The joke has been cited in print since at least 1983. 5 February 1983,…
“What do you call a ghost at a hotel?”/“An inn spectre.”
An old hotel pun goes: Q:What do you call a ghost at a hotel?A: An inn spectre. "Why is a Hotel Ghost like a policeman? Because it is an Inn-spectre" was told in the humor magazine Punch,…
“Yuan some, you lose some” (Chinese yuan puns)
The Chinese currency called the "yuan" has resulted in many English puns with the words "one" and "you won." "Pun of the day: The Yuan and the Restless (i heart…
“He could sell sand in the Sahara desert” (a good salesman)
"He could sell sand in the Sahara desert" -- meaning that he can sell something to someone who has no need for it -- is an old expression to show that a person is a good salesman.…
Upstuck (poker winning/losing)
Irish-American professional poker player Phil Laak coined the word "upstuck" in August 2015. "Upstuck. A poker term invented by @PhilLaak 2 describe being stuck from ur…
Flash Drought
A "flash drought" is similar to a "flash flood." In a flash drought, a sudden, unexpected burst of high temperatures and low humidity comes into an area and stays for an…
Cock Rock
The term "cock rock" was coined by an anonymous faminist who wrote “Cock Rock: Men Always Seem to End Up on Top" for the October/November 1970 issue of the New York underground…
“Every knock is a boost”
Some businesses and politicians believe the old adage that "every knock is a boost" -- that is, if they're talking about you, then that's free publicity and you're ahead.…
“The used car salesman knows when he’s lying” (joke)
Used car salesmen have long had a reputation for lying about the poor condition of the used cars they sold. A joke soon developed in the computer industry: Q: What's the difference between a…