“If you are going to tell a lie, tell a big one” (the big lie)
The expression "the big lie" was popularized by Adolf Hitler's book Mein Kampf (1925), published in an abridged English edition in the fall of 1933 and in a more complete English…
“Snitches get stitches and end up in ditches”
"Snitches get stitches" (also "snitches wear stitches") is a street slang warning not to cooperate with the police ("snitch") or there will be violence…
“There is no First Amendment without the Second Amendment”
"There is no First Amendment without the Second Amendment" is a popular saying among Americans against gun control legislation. The American Revolution was fought with guns; the Second…
“Recruiting is a lot like shaving—miss one day and it shows” (college athletic recruiting)
University of Southern California head basketball coach Bob Boyd wrote in March 1970 that he had this sign in his office: "Recruiting is Like Shaving. If You Don't Do It Every Day,…
American Spring
The "Arab Spring" revolutions of early 2011 led some to call for an "American Spring" to change the way the United States is governed. The term "American Spring" has…
“Money follows ministry”
"Money follows ministry" has been called the cardinal principle of Christian fundraising. If a ministry is meeting people's needs, then the money to keep it going will follow. The…
“Goals change games” (soccer adage)
"Goals change games" is a soccer cliché that has been cited in print since at least the late 1990s. The saying has been credited to both Ron Atkinson and Andy Gray. Wikipedia: Ron…
“A hit dog will holler”
"A hit dog will holler" is an old proverb that has been popular in the southern United States. It means that a person who is offended by something someone has done will tell that person.…
Mediot (media + idiot)
"Mediot" (media + idiot) is a term used by those who don't like the media. The term dates to at least 1988, when Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Bell refused to talk to the media…
“What’s the difference between a cactus and a caucus?” (joke)
An old political joke runs: "What's the difference between a cactus and a caucus? The cactus has all the pricks on the outside." Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973), a Democratic senator…
“You can take that to the bank and smoke it”
"You can take that to the bank and smoke it!" is a combination of the sayings "take it to the bank" (a sure thing) and "put that in your pipe and smoke it" (said after…
“The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese”
"The early bird catches the worm" is a proverb dating from at least the 17th century; it means that whoever does something first has the best chance of success. However, the person who…
“The difference between stumbling blocks and stepping stones is the way a person uses them”
Several books in the 19th century recognized that metaphorical "stumbling blocks" could be made into "stepping stones." Stumbling-blocks Made Stepping-stones on the Road to the…
University of Life
The "university of life" is the experience gained outside of formal schooling. The term "university of life" has been cited in print since at least 1853. A term similar to the…
School of Hard Knocks (University of Hard Knocks)
The "school of hard knocks" (also the "college of hard knocks" and the "university of hard knocks") means something that is learned from adversity, rather than formal…
“Gold, girls and glory” (three things that can destroy a preacher)
"Three G's" are said to be tempting to any preacher -- gold, girls and glory. There is a book titled God, Gold, Girls, and Glory (1966) by Wallace L. LaBaw, but it's about the…
“There is no education like adversity”
"There is no education like adversity" was written by Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (1804-1881) in Endymion (1880). William Hazlitt (1778-1830), in the essay "On the…
“They who drink beer think beer”
"They who drink beer will think beer" is a saying that has been printed on many gift items, often with a picture of author Washington Irving (1783-1859). Irving did write this in his…
“Too much attention to the pigskin doesn’t help the sheepskin” (sports vs. academics)
"Too much attention to the pigskin doesn't help the sheepskin" is a popular saying; "sheepskin" means a college academic diploma and "pigskin" means the covering…
“Whoever wins the turnover battle usually wins the game” (football adage)
"Whoever wins the turnover battle usually wins the game" is a generally accepted football adage. The term "turnover battle" (a "battle" with the "war" being…