“Nobody cares how bad your English is if your Scotch is good”
"Nobody cares how bad your English is if your Scotch is good" is a jocular drinking saying that has been included in several collections of humorous quotations, but it's usually not…
Fix It Again, Tony (Fiat backronymic nickname)
Fiat was founded in 1899 in Turin, Italy. "Fiat" is an acronym for "Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino." However, Fiat vehicles have been nicknamed with the backronym (back…
Fix Or Repair Daily (Ford backronymic nickname)
The Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford in 1903. Ford vehicles have been nicknamed with the backronym (back acronym) "Fix Or Repair Daily" since at least 1977. Other Ford…
Found On Road Dead (Ford backronymic nickname)
The Ford Motor Company was founded by Henry Ford in 1903. Ford vehicles have been nicknamed with the backronym (back acronym) "Found On Road Dead" since at least 1980. Other Ford…
“Friendship is the wine of life”
"Friendship is the wine of life" (or "friends are the wine of life") is a saying that has been printed on various gift items. Shakespeare's Macbeth (1606) contained the…
“It’s not how good you are, it’s how good you want to be”
Paul Arden (1940-2008), a former creative director for the advertising firm Saatchi & Saatchi, popularized a phrase with the title of his book, It's Not How Good You Are, It's How…
“Google before you tweet is the new think before you speak”
"Think before you speak" is an old proverb that has been cited in print since at least the 17th century. "Think before you tweet" is a social media proverb that has been cited…
“If you make 10,000 regulations you destroy all respect for the law”
"If you make 10,000 regulations you destroy all respect for the law" is a newly popular quotation that is credited to Winston Churchill (1874-1965). Churchill said the quotation before…
“There’s more than one way to peel an orange”
"There's more than one way to skin a cat" has been cited in print since at least 1836. The expression means that there's more than one way of doing things. "There is more…
“Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives used to be called the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, but is still commonly known as the ATF. Not everyone thinks that alcohol,…
Jesus Chicken (Chick-fil-A nickname)
Chick-fil-A is a fast food chain restaurant that specializes in chicken sandwiches, chicken nuggets and chicken strips. The founders of the company have Christian beliefs and the restaurants are…
Gasoline Machine (Phillips 66 refinery in New York harbor)
The Bayway Refinery on New York harbor in Bayway, New Jersey, was built by Standard Oil in 1907-08 and is currently owned by Phillips 66. The refinery processes 238,000 barrels of gas per day and…
Sam, Mike, Will (strongside, middle and weakside linebacker nicknames)
Sam (strongside linebacker), Mike (middle linebacker) and Will (weakside linebacker) are football position nicknames in the 4-3 defense. Tom Landry (1924-2000), the New York Giants defensive…
“Evil does not exist within a gun”
The Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings on December 14, 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut, left 27 people dead and was a major national news story for weeks, prompting many people to push for gun…
Brexit (Great Britain/British + exit)
"Brexit” (Great Britain/British + exit) is a word created to define a possible British exit from the eurozone. "Brexit" has been cited in print since at least May 2012. A similar…
Great Rebalancing
The financial term "Great Rebalancing" was cited by Newsweek on June 26. 2006: "I think we'll look back and 2006 will seem possibly like the middle phase of what you might call…
“Fake it till you make it”
"Fake it until/'til/till you make it" means that one should act successful until one actually is successful. That means having the right clothes or the right car. A similar proverb…
“You cannot wake up someone who is only pretending to be asleep” (political proverb)
"You cannot wake up someone who is only pretending to be asleep" is a proverb that has been cited in many cultures -- including India, Navajo (Native American), Ethiopia, Somalia, Iraq,…
Big Apple Shake (Johnny Rockets, 2005)
Johnny Rockets is a 1950s-style American chain restaurant, specializing in hamburgers, french fries, shakes and malts. The "Big Apple" shake was introduced by at least 2005 -- a vanilla…
Beerita (beer + margarita)
A "beerita" (beer + margarita) is a drink composed of beer, tequila, and lime juice or limeade or lemonade. "Beerita" appears to have been cited in print in 2005, but was…