Clothespin Vote
A clothespin is a pin (often made of wood, with a small spring) used to hang wet clothes on a clothesline -- the usual way clothes were dried before electric dryers. Newspaper cartoonists often…
“The man who rows the boat generally doesn’t have time to rock it” (political proverb)
To "rock the boat" means to change or disturb an existing situation. "The man who rows the boat generally doesn't have time to rock it" is a political proverb that means…
“The trouble with being a good sport is that you have to lose to prove it”
A person who accepts a loss without whining (such as complaining about the officials) is said to be "a good sport." A good sport says nice and gracious comments about the winner.…
“Gymnastics: Flying without wings” (gymnastics saying)
"Gymnastics: Flying without wings" has been a gymnastics saying since at least 2009. The authorship of the saying is not known. A similar gymnastics saying is "If you don't…
“If you don’t leap, you’ll never know what it’s like to fly” (gymnastics saying)
"If you don't leap, you'll never know what it's like to fly" appeared in the book The Secret of Letting Go (1990) by self-help author Guy Finley. The saying was initially…
“Champions are made when nobody is watching” (sports and exercise adage)
"Champions/winners are made when no one/nobody is watching/looking" is a popular sports adage to encourage practice and training -- things that sports fans usually don't see.…
“Leadership is the ability to hide your panic from others”
"Leadership is the ability to hide your panic from others" is a popular saying meaning that leaders must remain calm while making tough decisions. "The greatest quality of leadership…
“Winners train, losers complain” (exercise adage)
"Winners train, losers complain" is a popular T-shirt slogan that has been cited in print since at least 2000. The author of the saying is unknown. "Winners train, whiners…
“We didn’t lose—we just ran out of time”
"We didn't lose -- we just ran out of time" is an excuse sometimes used in football, where the team that scores last often wins the game. Football Hall of Famer Doak Walker…
“The first period is won by the best technician…” (wrestling adage)
A popular wrestling saying is, "The 1st period is won by the best technician. The 2nd period is won by the kid in the best shape. The 3rd period is won by the kid with the biggest heart."…
Alligator Spread
An "alligator spread" is a transaction is where the investor is unlikely to make much of a profit even if the markets move in the direction anticipated, primarily because the investor is…
“Sitting on a gold mine” (possessing something of great value)
To be "sitting in a gold mine" is to be in possession of something of great value, often without knowledge or understanding of that value. The American idiom usually does not require…
Earned Media (Free Media)
"Paid media" is when someone takes out advertising and pays for it. Political campaigns often try for "free media" as well, such as exposure on television talk shows and news…
Democrazy (democracy + crazy)
"Democrazy" (democracy + crazy) is a term to describe a democracy gone crazy, perhaps by corrupt politics and elections. "Democrazy" has been cited in print since at least 1853…
Battleground State
A "battleground state" is one of the fifty states of the United States that could support either one of the two political parties, Republican or Democrat. Political candidates for…
Cemetery Vote
The "cemetery vote" in politics means dead voters still on the election voting rolls and who show up to vote -- through voter fraud, of course. The term "cemetery vote" has been…
Swing State
A "swing state" is one of the fifty states of the United States that could support (or "swing" to) either one of the two political parties, Republican or Democrat. Political…
“Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death and sweet as love”
"Coffee should be black as hell, strong as death and sweet as love" is usually said to be a Turkish proverb, but no Turkish source has been cited. "Coffee, to be good, must be black…
Wingery (Buffalo wings + eatery)
A "wingery" (Buffalo chicken wings + eatery) is a restaurant that specializes in serving Buffalo chicken wings. "Wingery" can also mean the skill of someone who cooks Buffalo…
“Miss one day of practice, I notice; miss two, the critics notice; miss three, the audience notices”
A famous quote is popular with anyone who practices, from pianists to ballet dancers to golfers. "If I miss one day's practice, I notice it. If I miss two days' practice, the critics…