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March 21, 2013
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One ‘aw, shit’ wipes out a thousand ‘attaboys’”

"One 'aw, shit' wipes out a thousand 'attaboys'" means that one mistake (also "aw. shucks" or "oh no") ruins many good works…

April 2, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One Asian, in the vestibule” (Pledge of Allegiance mondegreen)

The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States has been recited by millions of school children, and many of them say the wrong words. These mishearings or misinterpretations are called…

March 29, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One day in 2033, we shall witness the rise of THE QUARANTEENS”

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic resulted in quarantines and popularized some quarantine portmanteau words. A "quaranteen" (quarantine + teen) or "quaranteenager" (quarantine…

June 10, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One day many will hang their heads in shame when they realize the evil they defended…”

"One day many will hang their heads in shame when they realize the evil they defended and the heroes they ridiculed" is a saying that has been printed on many images. Authorship is…

January 13, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One impeachment is bad, but two impeachments—that’s just unpresidented”

U.S. President Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives in 2021, and again in January 2021. People used the word "unpresidented" for "unprecedented." "Two…

October 9, 2011
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One man’s mob is another man’s democracy”

After some had called the 2011 "Occupy Wall Street" protests a "mob" (unlike the tea party rallies), White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said in October 2011: “I don’t…

March 7, 2013
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One man’s pork is another man’s bacon”

"Pork barrel" spending (that is, wasteful spending) for one legislator might be called "bringing home the bacon" (that is, essential spending) for another legislator. The saying…

October 9, 2011
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter”

"One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter" means that a fighter can be good or bad, depending upon one's view of the cause he's fighting for. The saying…

April 2, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One naked individual” (Pledge of Allegiance mondegreen)

The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States has been recited by millions of school children, and many of them say the wrong words. These mishearings or misinterpretations are called…

April 2, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One nation and a vegetable” (Pledge of Allegiance mondegreen)

The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States has been recited by millions of school children, and many of them say the wrong words. These mishearings or misinterpretations are called…

March 7, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One nation gone under” (joke on “One nation under God”)

U.S. President Ronald Reagan spoke about the importance of god in government at an ecumenical prayer breakfast in Dallas, Texas, on August 23, 1984: "Without God, there is no virtue, because…

April 2, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One nation in a dirigible” (Pledge of Allegiance mondegreen)

The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States has been recited by millions of school children, and many of them say the wrong words. These mishearings or misinterpretations are called…

January 24, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One Nation Under CCTV”

"I pledge allegiance to the ASBO, the Identity Card and Giro. And the country for which it stands, One nation, under CCTV, With violence and bingeing for all," a proposed pledge of…

April 2, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One nation, invisible” (Pledge of Allegiance mondegreen)

The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States has been recited by millions of school children, and many of them say the wrong words. These mishearings or misinterpretations are called…

March 30, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One nation, under a fraud, with tyranny and injustice for all”

"One nation, under fraud" -- a variation on "One nation, under God" of the Pledge of Allegiance -- is a saying that has been printed on many images. "The Second City's…

March 30, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One nation, under fraud, completely visible, with spying on and lying to all”

"One nation, under fraud" -- a variation on "One nation, under God" of the Pledge of Allegiance -- is a saying that has been printed on many images. "The Second City's…

March 30, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One nation, under fraud, with tyranny and injustice for all”

"One nation, under fraud" -- a variation on "One nation, under God" of the Pledge of Allegiance -- is a saying that has been printed on many images. "The Second City's…

March 30, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One nation, under fraud”

"One nation, under fraud" -- a variation on "One nation, under God" of the Pledge of Allegiance -- is a saying that has been printed on many images. "The Second City's…

April 2, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One nation, under guard, invisible” (Pledge of Allegiance mondegreen)

The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States has been recited by millions of school children, and many of them say the wrong words. These mishearings or misinterpretations are called…

May 20, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“One nuclear bomb can ruin your whole day”

"One nuclear bomb can ruin your whole day" and "Nuclear war can spoil your whole day" are anti-nuclear sayings that have been printed on many images. "Tom Carpenter, a…

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BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

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