Bungler-in-Chief (an incompetent top executive)
"Bungler-in-chief" (or "bungler in chief") means any incompetent top executive. The term "bungler-in-chief" has been cited in print in 1917, 1967 and 1987, but the…
Vaporize (money that vanishes)
Money that is "vaporized" is money that has vanished, probably never return. The financial firm of MF Global declared bankruptcy on October 31, 2011; it was reported that client funds had…
Bureaucratese or Bureaucrapese (bureaucratic language)
"Bureaucratese" is a language spoken or written by bureaucrats, also often called "officialese" or "legalese" or "federalese" or "governmentese."…
“Nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs”
"Nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs" means to be very nervous -- the cat must not get the tail caught under a rocking chair. The syndicated newspaper column…
Just Over Broke (“job” backronym)
The word "job" is not an acronym for anything, but some have used the backronym (back acronym) of "just over broke." The backronym has been applied to minimum wage and other…
“One reason why I don’t drink is because I wish to know when I am having a good time”
Nancy Astor (1879-1964) is often cited for the quotation, "One reason why I don't drink is because I wish/want to know when I am having a good time." This quotation appears to be a…
Jargarita (jar + margarita)
A "Jargarita" or "jargarita" (jar + margarita) is a margarita drink served in a jar, such as a Mason jar. The advantage this has is that the drink can be made to a larger size…
Guaran-damn-tee or Guaran-dam-tee (a firm guarantee)
A "guaran-damn-tee" (or "guaran-dam-tee") is the strongest possible guarantee, with "damn" added for emphasis. "I'll guarandamtee ya" has been cited in…
“Second place is the first loser” (sports adage)
"Second place is the first loser" is a popular sports saying that has been printed in many T-shirts. The saying has been cited in print since at least April 1994 and is of unknown…
“We bust ours to kick yours” (sports saying)
"We bust ours to kick yours" (the word "asses" is implied, but omitted) is a popular high school sports saying that has been printed on many T-shirts. The saying has been used…
“I distrust camels, and anyone else who can go a week without a drink”
New York City-born comedian Joe E. Lewis (1902-1971) was quoted in 1965 for the line, "I distrust camels or anybody else who don't take a drink once in a while." The camel drinking…
“Beer: Helping ugly people get laid since 1862”
"Beer: Helping ugly people get laid since 1862" (or "helping ugly people have sex since 1862" or "getting ugly people laid since 1862," or whatever date) is a popular…
“I drink to make other people interesting”
"I drink to make other people (more/seem) interesting" is a quotation cited in many drinking quote collections. The saying has been printed on T-shirts and improperly credited to the…
“24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not.” (Newman Day)
"24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not." This line has often been attributed to the comedian Steven Wright, but it's uncertain when (or if) he used it in a…
“Draft beer, not people” (“Draft beer, not students”)
"Draft beer, not people/soldiers/students/men/boys" is a saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as T-shirts and buttons. "Draft beer, not students" has been cited…
“I am a firm believer in the people; if given the truth, they can meet any national crisis”
The following quotation, attributed to Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), has appeared on many websites: “I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any…
“You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do”
"You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do" means that a reputation is build on achievement, not on potential achievement. James J. Hill (1838-1916), the chief…
“Only Robinson Crusoe had all his work done by Friday”
Robinson Crusoe (1719) is a novel by Daniel Defoe about a castaway who spends many years on a tropical island, far from the contact of an European. Crusoe rescues a native and names him Friday,…
“The older a man gets, the farther he had to walk to school as a boy”
"The older a man gets, the farther he had to walk to school as a boy" is a joke based on fathers who embellish their alleged hard scrabble beginnings. The kids today have it easy; the…
“Four years ago, I couldn’t spell engineer; now I are one”
"Four years ago, I couldn't spell engineer/injuneer, and now I are one" is a joke saying suggesting that an engineering education doesn't necessarily require much English. There…