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June 16, 2009
Banking/Finance/Insurance

“Always Be Closing” (“ABC” of selling)

"Always be closing" (the ABC's of selling) dates in print to at least 1950. The phrase was popularized by David Mamet's awarding-winning play, Glengarry Glen Ross, which opened…

September 18, 2012
Work/Businesses

“Always be sincere, even if you don’t mean it”

"Always be sincere, even if you don't mean it" is often credited to Harry S. Truman (1884-1972) but there's no evidence that he ever said it. The earliest citations for the…

October 25, 2015
Workers/People

“Always be yourself. Unless you can be Batman. Then always be Batman”

"Always be yourself. Unless you can be Batman. Then always be Batman" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many posters. "Always be yourself" is a bland motivational…

May 28, 2010
Banking/Finance/Insurance

“Always borrow money from a pessimist—he doesn’t expect to be paid back”

"Always borrow money from a pessimist -- he doesn't expect to be paid back" is a saying that has been printed (with slight wording variations) on T-shirts and bumper stickers. The…

April 2, 2022
Food/Drink

“Always buy a bigger bottle than you think you’ll need. Better safe than sober”

"Always buy a bigger bottle than you think you'll need. Better safe than sober" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "Always buy a bigger bottle. Better safe than…

April 7, 2022
Food/Drink

“Always buy the bigger bottle… Better safe than sober”

"Always buy a bigger bottle than you think you'll need. Better safe than sober" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "Always buy a bigger bottle. Better safe than…

January 31, 2013
Food/Drink

“Always carry whiskey in case of snakebite—furthermore, always carry a small snake”

The comic actor W. C. Fields (1880-1946) was well known for his witty lines about drinking. "I like to keep a bottle of stimulant handy in case I see a snake— which I also keep handy"…

October 31, 2011
Sports/Games

“Always check, it may be mate” (chess adage)

"Finally, check whenever you can. It may be mate" is a chess adage that dates to at least 1889, when Hector Rosenfeld (1857-1935), a member of the Manhattan Chess Club and a professional…

December 10, 2024
Exercise/Running/Health Clubs

“Always compliment the fat girls in the gym. They’ll remember you when they get fit”

"Always compliment the fat girls in the gym. They’ll remember you when they get fit" is a gym saying that has been printed on many images. Authorship of the saying is unknown. but memes…

December 9, 2019
Work/Businesses

“Always dress like it’s the best day of your life”

"Always dress like it’s the best day of your life" is a saying that has been printed on many images. Fashion Beans12 Of The Stupidest Quotes About Men’s FashionFashion’s most…

April 7, 2022
Food/Drink

“Always get the big bottle. Better safe than sober”

"Always buy a bigger bottle than you think you'll need. Better safe than sober" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "Always buy a bigger bottle. Better safe than…

December 22, 2020
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“Always jingle all the way! Nobody likes a half-assed jingler”

"Always jingle all the way! Nobody likes a half-assed jingler" -- a joke on the "jingle all the way" line in the Christmas song "Jingle Bells" -- is a saying that has…

January 4, 2021
Food/Drink

“Always keep a bottle of tequila in the fridge for special occasions. You know, like Tuesday”

"Always keep a bottle of tequila in the fridge for special occasions. You know, like Tuesday" is a jocular saying that has been printed on several images. "'@WomensHumor: Always…

January 3, 2021
Food/Drink

“Always keep a bottle of wine in the fridge for special occasions. Sometimes a special occasion…”

"Always keep a bottle of wine in the fridge for special occasions. Sometimes the special occasion is that you have a bottle of wine in the fridge" is a jocular saying that has been…

January 4, 2021
Food/Drink

“Always keep a bottle of wine in the fridge for special occasions. You know, like Monday”

"Always keep a bottle of wine in the fridge for special occasions. Sometimes the special occasion is that you have a bottle of wine in the fridge" is a jocular saying that has been…

January 4, 2021
Food/Drink

“Always keep a bottle of wine in the fridge for special occasions. You know, like Wednesday”

"Always keep a bottle of wine in the fridge for special occasions. Sometimes the special occasion is that you have a bottle of wine in the fridge" is a jocular saying that has been…

January 3, 2021
Food/Drink

“Always keep tequila in the fridge for special occasions. Sometimes the special occasion is…”

"Always keep a bottle of tequila in the fridge for special occasions. You know, like Tuesday" is a jocular saying that has been printed on several images. "'@WomensHumor: Always…

October 22, 2019
Food/Drink

“Always look on the bright cider life”

"Always look on the bright cider life" is a cider saying that has been printed on many images. The pun is based on the song "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," from the…

November 24, 2020
Food/Drink

“Always pre-heat the oven before putting the meat in”

"Always pre-heat the oven before putting the meat in" or ("Always preheat the oven before you put the meat in") is a sexual innuendo-filled cooking saying that has been printed…

November 24, 2020
Food/Drink

“Always preheat the oven before you put the meat in”

"Always pre-heat the oven before putting the meat in" or ("Always preheat the oven before you put the meat in") is a sexual innuendo-filled cooking saying that has been printed…

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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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