“My wife’s credit card was stolen…” (joke)
"My wife's credit card was stolen, but I'm not going to report it," a husband says in this old joke. "Whoever stole it spends less than she does." The joke was cited…
Archive for /P29880
Cider Bar
A cider bar serves ciders, such as apple cider and pear cider. "Cider bar and lunch counter" ws cited in print in 1906. During the Prohibition (1920-1933) in the United States, cider bars…
Cidery (cider winery)
A "cider winery" or "cidery" is a place where cider is produced. "In fact, at the largest cider winery ('cidery' is the usual term) in North America" was…
Teabilly (tea party participant + hillbilly)
A "teabilly" (tea party participant + hillbilly) is an unsophisticated person who believes in tea party issues, such as limited government. The term, like "hillbilly," is…
“F/8 and be there” (photography adage)
"F/8 and be there" is a famous adage of photographic journalism. "f/8" is a standard lens aperture; the important part of taking news photographs is, therefore, to "be…
“There is no Catholic way to cook a hamburger”
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia told Villanova University on October 16, 2007: "There is no such thing as a 'Catholic judge.' The bottom line is that the Catholic faith…
American-in-Waiting
"American-in-waiting" is a term for a person who is in the United States and is waiting to be an American citizen or waiting for a work/study permit; similar names include…
“You can’t cook with cold grease” (boxing adage)
"You can't cook with cold grease" means that one should (usually proverbially) turn up the heat, or make things more intense. The Chicago (IL) Tribune cited in 1982: "Aaron…
“A magician was driving down the road. Then he turned into a driveway”
A popular joke involves a magician and transportation: "A magician was driving down the road. Then he turned into a driveway." The joke has been cited in print since at least 2007.…
“Never meet a champion for the first time in the winner’s circle”
“We will never meet a champion for the first time on the podium" is a slogan of Scott Russell of CBC Sports (Canada). Russell explained in April 2012: "We'll never meet a champion…
“Who are you wearing?” (fashion question)
American comedian and television host Joan Rivers (1933-2014) was known for her E! red carpet interviews of celebrities at awards programs, asking them, "Who are you wearing?" The…
“The envelope, please” (awards show saying)
Awards shows such as the Oscars (Hollywood) and Tonys (Broadway) have a person announce the nominees in a category, and then that person usually says, "The envelope, please." This…
“Day school tuition is the best form of birth control” (joke)
Many Jewish parents try to sent their children to a yeshiva (Jewish day school), but tuition is expensive. A popular joke in the Orthodox community is that day school tuition is the best form of…
“What happens if we invest money to develop our people and they leave?”
A classic business conversation is when the owner or manager (a CEO or a CFO) asks, "What if we train our workers and they leave?" The Human Resources Manager responds, "What if we…
“Imagine the audience naked” (theatre saying)
"Imagine the audience naked" (or "imagine the audience in their underwear") is advice that some people give to someone who is scared on the stage, such as a frightened actor or…
“In victory, you deserve champagne; in defeat, you need it”
"In victory, you deserve champagne; in defeat, you need it" has been frequently credited to Napoléon Bonaparte (1769-1821), but there's no evidence that he ever said it. Winston…
“Steel sharpens steel” (wrestling adage)
"Steel sharpens steel" is an old saying; in sports, the saying means that the best get sharper (or better) by playing against the best. A wrestling article in the Cedar Rapids (IA)…
“Three things you can’t take back: a spent arrow, a spoken word and a lost opportunity”
"Four things come not back: the broken word, the spent arrow, the past life, and the neglected opportunity" was cited in print in 1870. "There are three things that return not: the…
“Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie”
Garfield, a comic strip created by Jim Davis, features a fat cat. In the book Garfield Eats His Heart Out (1983), Garfield gave the following diet tip: "Vegetables are a must on a diet. I…
“All you need is tea and warm socks” (winter saying)
"All you need is tea and warm socks" is a winter saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as posters and coffee mugs. "Gives you hot tea and warm socks" was cited…