“Don’t expect what you don’t inspect” (management adage)
"Don't expect what you don't inpect" (also "Never expect what you don't inspect" or "You can't expect what you don't inspect") is from The…
“You can’t tell the players without a score card”
"You can't tell the players without a score card/scorecard" is what baseball vendors yelled in the 1890s and 1900s to sell their score cards for a nickel. "You can't tell…
“Take one for the team”
To "take one for the team" means a personal sacrifice a player makes for the benefit of the team. The expression began in baseball and has been cited in print since at least 1969. A…
“A win is a win” (sports adage)
"A win is a win (is a win)" is often said by the coach and players of a winning team, meaning that all that matters is the victory. If a heavy favorite pulls out an unexpectedly narrow…
Demorrhoids (Democrat + hemorrhoids)
"Demorrhoids" (Democrat + hemorrhoids) is an unflattering term used by people who don't like Democrats. The term "demorrhoids" (either upper or lower case, but usually…
“The best teams make the playoffs; the hottest team wins the championship”
"The best teams make the playoffs and the hottest team wins the championship" means that the team with the best regular season record doesn't always win the championship. The regular…
“That’s why they play the games” (sports adage)
"That's why they play the game" is a popular sports adage meaning that the game isn't decided on paper. One team might have more talent and might be favored to win the game by…
Churning
"Churning" occurs when a broker executes many trades on an investment account; the trades are not necessarily in the best interests of the investor (the client), but the trades are in the…
It’s Probably Overpriced (Initial Public Offering or IPO nickname)
An initial public offering (IPO) is when a company's stock becomes available for sale to the public. Many technology stocks have had much-anticipated IPOs, but that hasn't always…
“If it’s too loud, you’re too old” (music adage)
"If it's too loud, you're too old" is a rock music saying that has been put on gift items such as T-shirts and bumper stickers. A record ad from February 1978 stated, "Ted…
“Countries don’t go bust”
"Countries don't go bust" (often written as "sovereign nations don't go bust/bankrupt/out of business") is a famous statement of Walter Wriston (1919-2005) a chief…
“Baked in the cake” (built into the price or system)
"Baked in(to) the cake" means that the expected future of a stock, for example, is reflected in (or "factored in") its current price. If a company is projected to be successful,…
Hard Line (Hard Liner)
A "hard line" (also "hard-line" or "hardline") is an uncompromising set of beliefs. "Hard line" has been cited in print since at least 1949 and possibly was…
Mover and Shaker
A "mover and shaker" is someone with power and influence in a particular field. Arthur O'Shaughnessy's "Ode" (1873) contains the line, "Yet we are the movers and…
“Bang for the buck”
"Bigger/More bang for a/the buck" means that someone wants to spend dollars more effectively. The term began in the U.S. military, when the Pentagon told the December 16, 1953 New York…
“In the money”
"In the money" means that a money prize has been won. For example, a horse that finishes a race first ("win"), second ("place") or third ("show") finishes…
“On the money”
"On the money" means "accurately" or "precisely" and has been cited in print since at least 1939. For example, an arrow that hits the center of a target is said to…
“A foolish faith in authority is the enemy of the truth”
"A foolish faith in authority is the enemy of the truth" is a quote from physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955) that has been popular in the 2000s, especially among political groups (such…
“Your stomach shouldn’t be a waist basket”
"Your stomach shouldn't be a waist basket" (a pun on "waste basket") is a saying that has appeared on many diet and nutrition websites. The term "waist basket"…
“To feel ‘fit as a fiddle,’ you must tone down your middle”
"To feel 'fit as a fiddle,' you must tone down your middle" is a saying that has appeared on many lists of dieting and exercise quotations (where it is usually credited to…