“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…
Archive for 05/2012
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…
“The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time”
"The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time" is a popular saying that newspapers and magazines have used to promote advertising. The…
“If all you ever do is all you’ve ever done, then all you’ll get is all you ever got”
"If you always do what you always did, you'll always get what you always got" has been cited in print since at least 1984. The saying was used in weight control and wellness,…
“The outdoors is what you must pass through in order to get from your apartment into a taxicab”
In her book Metropolitan Life (1978), author Fran Lebowitz wrote: "There are a number of reasons for this, chief among them being that to me the outdoors is what you must pass through in order…
“Nothing kills a bad product faster than good advertising” (advertising adage)
"Nothing kills a bad product faster/quicker than good advertising" is a popular advertising adage. The adage means that good advertising makes people aware of a product, but if the…
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”
"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life" is a popular saying meaning that if you love what you're doing, then it isn't work. "Find…
No Action Talk Only (North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO nickname)
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed in 1949 by member states in North America and Europe for collective defense (against what at that time was the Soviet Union). The…