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October 11, 2015
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If women ruled the world, there would be no wars…”

"If women ruled the world, there would be no wars" is an old saying that may or may not be true. "If women ruled the world there would be no wars. Just a bunch of jealous countries…

December 22, 2015
Work/Businesses

“If work is so terrific, how come they have to pay you to do it?”

"If work is so terrific, how come they have to pay you to do it?" is a jocular one-liner that has been printed on GIFs. Leonard Lyons (1906-1976) wrote in his syndicated "The Lyons…

July 17, 2019
Work/Businesses

“If work isn’t fun, you’re not playing on the right team”

"If work isn’t fun, you’re not playing on the right team" is a saying that has been printed on many images. American author Frank Sonnenberg wrote the saying in his book (co-authored…

July 5, 2016
Work/Businesses

“If work was so good, the rich would have kept more of it for themselves”

Haitian writer Jacques Roumain (1907-1944) wrote in Gouverneurs de la Rosée (1944), translated as Masters of the Dew (1947): "If work was such a good thing, the rich would have grabbed it all…

June 27, 2020
Education/Schools

“If you abbreviate in sign language, is it called short hand?”

"Are abbreviations in sign language called 'shorthand'?" is a joke that was posted on Twitter by J. W. Sullivan on September 17, 2011. "If you abbreviate in sign language,…

July 26, 2018
Work/Businesses

“If you ain’t makin’ waves, you ain’t kickin’ hard enough”

"If you aren't making waves, you aren't kicking hard enough" ("If you ain't makin' waves, you ain't kickin' hard enough") is a motivational saying…

February 28, 2025
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If you allow liars and thieves to make decisions for you, don’t be surprised when they make bad decisions for you”

"If you allow liars and thieves to make decisions for you, then you shouldn't be surprised when they make bad decisions for you" (shown on an image) was posted on Facebook by Being…

February 28, 2025
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If you allow liars and thieves to make decisions for you, then you shouldn’t be surprised when they make bad decisions for you”

"If you allow liars and thieves to make decisions for you, then you shouldn't be surprised when they make bad decisions for you" (shown on an image) was posted on Facebook by Being…

April 7, 2024
Food/DrinkWork/Businesses

“If you are a gardener, you can always put ‘Plant Manager’ on your resume”

"If you are a gardener, you can always put/write 'Plant Manager' on your resume" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. "If you're a gardener, you…

April 7, 2024
Food/DrinkWork/Businesses

“If you are a gardener, you can always write ‘Plant Manager’ on your resume”

"If you are a gardener, you can always put/write 'Plant Manager' on your resume" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. "If you're a gardener, you…

November 22, 2022
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

“If you are a supervisor at a soup kitchen, does that make you a soupervisor?”

"Soupervisor" (soup + supervisor) is a portmanteau that has been used since at least the 1960s. The poem 'THE SOUPervisor" was printed in the Fort Lauderdale (FL) News on July…

March 22, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If you are afraid to speak out against tyranny, you are already a slave”

"If you are afraid to speak out against tyranny, you are already a slave" is a sayin that has been printed on many images. Authorship is unknown. "If you are afraid to speak out…

September 16, 2026
Work/Businesses

“If you are an ocean, be an ocean. Don’t be a pond just because people can’t swim”

"If you are an ocean, be an ocean. Don’t be a pond just because people can’t swim" is a saying that has been printed on many images. The saying means that if you're great, be…

January 26, 2025
Time/Weather

“If you are cold, they are cold. Bring your husbands inside”

“If you’re cold, they’re cold. Bring them inside" is a saying about pets that has been printed on many images. Some photos joke on the saying with non-pets, by showing an alligator or a…

January 26, 2025
Pets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)Time/Weather

“If you are cold, they are cold. Bring your pets inside”

“If you’re cold, they’re cold. Bring them inside" is a saying about pets that has been printed on many images. Some photos joke on the saying with non-pets, by showing an alligator or a…

January 5, 2021
Sports/Games

“If you are color blind, Twister is a mother fucking free for all”

Twister is a game that involves colored circles, where people place hands and feet. "If you are color blind, Twister is a mother fucking free for all" was posted on Twitter by Ben…

February 2, 2026
Food/Drink

“If you are ever feeling like you’re getting a cold, remember queso counts as soup”

Chile con queso is often served as an appetizer at Tex-Mex restaurants, used as a dip for tortilla chips. There is such a thing as queso soup, but this queso is a dip and not a soup. Some people…

October 5, 2025
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“If you are ever lost in the woods, look for the North Star. Its twinkling will comfort you as you die”

"If you are ever lost in the woods, look for the North Star. Its twinkling will comfort you as you die" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. The first sentence…

January 3, 2013
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“If you are going to tell a lie, tell a big one” (the big lie)

The expression "the big lie" was popularized by Adolf Hitler's book Mein Kampf (1925), published in an abridged English edition in the fall of 1933 and in a more complete English…

December 7, 2011
Sports/Games

“If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country”

"If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country" is a joke featured in many sports and exercise joke lists, often incorrectly attributed to comedian Steven…

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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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