“Always check, it may be mate” (chess adage)
"Finally, check whenever you can. It may be mate" is a chess adage that dates to at least 1889, when Hector Rosenfeld (1857-1935), a member of the Manhattan Chess Club and a professional…
“Every man is innocent until proven broke”
"Every man/person is innocent until proven broke" is a joke in the legal profession, suggesting that justice is over for the person who can't afford a good lawyer. The legal joke has…
“Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships”
"Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships" is a popular saying in sports, especially in basketball and football. "Defense wins championships" has been cited in…
Fixed Noise (Fox News nickname)
The Fox News Channel has had many critics who have nicknamed the channel "Fixed News" and "Fox Noise." The Fox News nickname of "Fixed Noise" (a combination of the two…
“Politicians use statistics as a drunken man uses lamp posts—for support, not illumination”
Reader's Digest published this quotation in 1937: "He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lampposts — for support rather than for illumination (Andrew Lang)." It has long been…
“If you can walk, you can snowshoe”
Snowshoeing is easier to learn than skiing. The old and popular saying, "If you can walk, you can showshoe," has been cited in print since 1922. (Oxford English Dictionary)snow-shoe v.…
Climatard (climate + retard)
"Global warming" or "climate change" has its supporters, but also has those who think it's bunk. The derogatory nickname "climatard" (climate + retard) has been…
Witch of Wall Street
The moniker "Witch of Wall Street" is usually associated with Hetty Green (1834-1916), who was one of the world's richest women during his lifetime. Many stories were written about…
Associated Propaganda (Associated Press or AP nickname)
The Associated Press (AP) is a news agency founded in 1846 and headquartered in New York City. The derogatory nickname "Associated Propaganda" has been cited in print since at least…
“I do not find in Christianity one redeeming feature” (Jefferson?)
In October 2011, a California atheist group put up a billboard with the following anti-Christian saying attributed to founding father Thomas Jefferson: "I do not find in Christianity one…
Professional Homeless
"Professional homeless" seems like an oxymoron. Who is "professionally" without a profession and a home? The term "professional homeless" has been cited in print since…
Full Of Xenophobia (Fox News nickname)
The Fox News Channel has had many liberal critics who claim that it doesn't fully respect minorities and foreigners. The Fox News nickname of "Full Of Xenophobia" (or "Full Of…
Chat-Down
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has long used "pat downs" to check potential air travelers for weapons. In August 2011 at Boston's Logan Interational Airport, the…
Pharmageddon (pharmaceutical + Armageddon)
"Pharmageddon" (pharmaceutical + Armageddon) has had two different meanings. "Pharmageddon" was used by those critical of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). A book by…
Spox (spokesperson)
"Spox" is a popular headline shorthand for "spokesperson." The term "spox" was used in 1996 and then frequently in 2006 in the context of Israeli government…
Anti-Dollar (gold nickname)
Gold has frequently been called the "anti-dollar." When the dollar is worth less, the price of gold (in dollars) increases. The "anti-dollar" nickname for gold became popular by…
Killing (“make a killing”)
To "make a killing" means to make a large (and usually quick) profit. "Make a killing" has been cited in print since at least 1887, when it was used in horseracing. The saying…
“Make a living, not a killing”
"Make a living, not a killing" has been cited in print since at least 1959 and has appeared on signs in the 2011 "Occupy Wall Street" protests. The saying plays upon the slang…
“Television is called a medium because it is neither rare nor well done”
"Television is called a medium because it is neither rare nor well done" is a classic joke about early television. "Definition 'Television: A new medium—rare, if well…
Occupier (Occupy Wall Street participant)
The Occupy Wall Street movement began on September 17, 2011 with protests at New York City's Zuccotti Park. Other cities throughout the world began their own "Occupy" movements. The…