The Big Apple
About Archives Categories Index Search
About Archives Categories Index Search

September 8, 2017
Work/Businesses

“If a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears, my illegal logging business is a success”

"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" is a classic question. "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, then my…

May 5, 2009
Food/Drink

“If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?”

"If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?" This play on words has been used since at least 1915, when the joke appeared in the Philadelphia (PA) Public Ledger. A…

July 12, 2018
Banking/Finance/Insurance

“If a woman puts me in the friend zone, I immediately borrow money from her”

Do true friend let you borrow money and never pay it back. Jay posted this joke on Twitter on September 27, 2013: "When a woman puts me in the friend zone the first thing I do is borrow money…

September 16, 2016
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If abortion is murder, then are condoms kidnapping?”

"If abortion is murder, then are condoms kidnapping?" is a one-line saying that has been printed on many images. "If abortion is murder then condoms are weapons of mass…

December 28, 2015
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If absolute power corrupts absolutely, does absolute powerlessness make you pure?”

Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Harry ShearerHarry Julius Shearer (born December 23, 1943) is an American actor, comedian, writer, voice actor, musician, author, radio host, director and…

July 11, 2025
Education/Schools

“If action speaks louder than words, how come we learnt English instead of Kung Fu?”

"Actions speak louder than words" is an old proverb. "If actions speak louder than words, why do we learn English instead of Kung Fu?" is a jocular saying that has been printed…

July 11, 2025
Education/Schools

“If actions are louder than words, then why are we learning English instead of Kung Fu?”

"Actions speak louder than words" is an old proverb. "If actions speak louder than words, why do we learn English instead of Kung Fu?" is a jocular saying that has been printed…

July 11, 2025
Education/Schools

“If actions speak louder than words, why do we learn English instead of Kung Fu?”

"Actions speak louder than words" is an old proverb. "If actions speak louder than words, why do we learn English instead of Kung Fu?" is a jocular saying that has been printed…

August 14, 2014
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“If actors are having fun, the audience will have fun, too” (theatre adage)

"If actors are having fun, the audience will have fun, too" is a theatre and film adage of uncertain origin. "The actors are having fun playing their parts and because of their…

October 11, 2017
Radio/Television

“If advertisers were smart, they’d make a silent, slow-motion commercial”

Many people tape programs and fast forward through the advertisements. James Breakwell‏ wrote on Twitter on March 20, 2013: "If advertisers were smart, they’d make a silent, slow-motion…

February 23, 2020
Food/Drink

“If alcohol can damage your short term memory, just think what alcohol can do”

"If alcohol can damage your short term memory, just think what alcohol can do" -- "alcohol" is repeated because the speaker has had too much to drink -- is a jocular saying.…

May 31, 2013
Food/Drink

“If alcohol is a crutch, Jack Daniel’s is a wheelchair”

"If alcohol is a crutch, Jack Daniel's is a wheelchair" was said by American actor and comedian Robin Williams at least by August 1990, when the joke was recorded in a newspaper. The…

August 10, 2017
Food/Drink

“If alcohol is liquid courage, is caffeine liquid anxiety?”

Alcohol has frequently been called "liquid courage." Caffeine has sometimes been called "liquid anxiety." "Consuming large amounts of caffeinated drinks is like drinking…

August 15, 2020
Food/Drink

“If alcohol is liquid courage, then coffee is liquid enthusiasm”

Alcohol has frequently been called “liquid courage.” "If alcohol is liquid courage, is caffeine liquid anxiety?" was posted on Reddit -- Showerthoughts on August 9, 2017. "If…

August 15, 2020
Food/Drink

“If alcohol is liquid courage, then coffee is liquid optimism”

Alcohol has frequently been called “liquid courage.” "If alcohol is liquid courage, is caffeine liquid anxiety?" was posted on Reddit -- Showerthoughts on August 9, 2017. "If…

August 15, 2020
Food/Drink

“If alcohol is liquid courage, then coffee is liquid productivity”

Alcohol has frequently been called “liquid courage.” "If alcohol is liquid courage, is caffeine liquid anxiety?" was posted on Reddit -- Showerthoughts on August 9, 2017. "If…

August 15, 2020
Food/Drink

“If alcohol is liquid courage, then coffee must be liquid motivation”

Alcohol has frequently been called “liquid courage.” "If alcohol is liquid courage, is caffeine liquid anxiety?" was posted on Reddit -- Showerthoughts on August 9, 2017. "If…

November 5, 2010
Banking/Finance/Insurance

“If all economists were laid end to end, they’d never reach a conclusion”

"If economists were laid end to end, they would not reach a conclusion" is a quip usually attributed to George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950), but there is no evidence that he said it. In May…

November 28, 2012
Work/Businesses

“If all is not lost, where is it?”

"If all is not lost, (then) where is it?" is a jocular one-line saying that has been printed on many gift items, such as posters, buttons and T-shirts. The saying has been cited in print…

May 10, 2019
Transportation

“If all the cars in the United States were placed end to end it would be Sunday afternoon”

"If all the cars in the United States were placed end to end it would probably be the Labor Day weekend" is a jocular traffic saying that has been printed on many images. American…

First
Previous
604 605 606 607 608
Next
Last

About the Website and Editor

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.

Read more About the Website and Editor
About
Privacy Policy
RSS

© 2026 Barry Popik. All rights reserved.