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February 20, 2018
Work/Businesses

“An expert is a person who has made every possible mistake in a small field of study”

"An expert is a man who has made all the mistakes which can be made in a narrow field" is a jocular definition of an expert that has been printed on many images. The quotation has been…

January 16, 2012
Work/Businesses

“An expert is one who knows more and more about less and less”

"An expert is one who knows more and more about less and less" (also, "A specialist is one who knows more and more about less and less") is a saying that became popular in 1926.…

October 14, 2013
Work/Businesses

“An expert is someone called in at the last minute to share the blame”

Entry in progress -- B.P. Google News Archive27 August 1959, The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA), "Shop With Sue," pg. 8, col. 6 ad:. Colleague — Someone called in at the last minute to…

December 26, 2016
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“An honest politician, a generous lawyer, and Santa Claus…” (joke)

A popular joke meme involves Santa Claus and/or the Easter Bunny, a smart or honest (blonde, drummer, lawyer, politician, et al.) and a dumb or dishonest (blonde, drummer, lawyer, politician et…

March 28, 2021
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

“An ice cream man’s success is literally defined by how well they can lure children”

Many people find the concept of ice cream trucks to be disturbing. "Ice cream trucks creep me out they play weird music and lure small children" was posted on Twitter by Diane Fraleigh on…

July 24, 2019
Streets

“An ice cream van crashed on my street yesterday. The whole area was coned off”

Sometimes streets are "coned off," and there's a joke about that. "Been to an ice cream mans funeral today, couldn't park anywhere! It was all coned off ....." was…

November 29, 2020
Food/Drink

“An ice cube is just a loaf of water”

Ice is the solid form of water. "Hey so uh ice is just a loaf of water" was posted on Twitter by Chief Dumbass @ Dumbass inc. on April 27, 2018. "Ice is just a loaf of water"…

July 2, 2019
Work/Businesses

“An idea is just a dream until you write it down, and then it’s a goal”

"An idea is a dream until you write it down, and then it's a goal" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "It's a dream until you write it down. Then it's a…

August 15, 2016
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“An idea isn’t responsible for the people who believe in it”

Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Don MarquisDonald Robert Perry Marquis (/ˈmɑːrkwɪs/ mar-kwis; July 29, 1878 in Walnut, Illinois – December 29, 1937 in New York City) was a humorist,…

December 28, 2009
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“An ignorant thief robs a freight-car. An educated thief steals the whole railroad.”

"A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad" is credited to Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919).…

November 4, 2016
Music/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus

“An ill wind that nobody blows good” (musical instrument joke)

"It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good" is a proverb from the 16th century. In the 1920s, the proverb was expanded to jokingly describe musical instruments. "It's an…

November 5, 2016
Time/Weather

“An ill wind that nobody blows good” (musical instrument joke)

"It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good" is a proverb from the 16th century. In the 1920s, the proverb was expanded to jokingly describe musical instruments. "It's an…

October 19, 2014
Banking/Finance/Insurance

“An income is what you can’t live without or within”

"An income is what you can't live without or within" is a witty saying that was popularized -- with slight variations -- in 1890 and 1920. "You say you can't live within…

April 13, 2017
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“An income tax form is like a laundry list—either way you lose your shirt”

"An income tax form is like a laundry list—either way you lose your shirt" is a one-line saying about income taxes that has been printed on many images. The quote was credited to…

May 7, 2017
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“An incompetent lawyer can delay a trial for months. A competent lawyer can delay one even longer”

California Attorney General Evvelle J. Younger (1918-1989) was quoted in the Los Angeles (CA) Times on March 3, 1971 about the problems of legal delay: "An incompetent attorney can delay a…

May 25, 2021
Food/Drink

“An Indian flatbread currency would be naan cents”

"Naan" (flatbread) has resulted in some "naan cents" (nonsense) jokes. "I can't believe the Indian restaurant would not accept my jar of change as payment. That's…

July 5, 2015
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

“An infectious disease walks into a bar…” (bar joke)

"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." One popular science joke is: "An infectious disease walks into a bar. The bartender…

December 22, 2015
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

“An infinite number of mathematicians walk into a bar…” (bar joke)

"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." A popular math joke has been cited in print since at least 2008: "An infinite number…

March 27, 2016
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

“An infra-red photon walks into a bar…” (bar joke)

"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." A photon version is: "An infra-red photon walks into a bar and says, 'Is it hot…

June 30, 2020
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

“An inkjet cartridge walks into a bar…” (bar joke)

"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." An inkjet cartridge version is: "An inkjet cartridge walks into a bar. The bartender…

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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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