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June 12, 2017
Work/Businesses

“When life shuts a door, open it again. That’s how doors work”

"When life shuts a door, open it again. That's how doors work" is an inspirational saying that has been printed on many images. The saying was posted on Twitter by Captain Obvious‏…

June 13, 2021
Food/Drink

“When life throws you a taco, eat it”

"When life gives you tacos, eat them" and "When life gives you broken tacos, make nachos (taco salad)" are sayings that have been printed on several images. The sayings are…

June 13, 2025
Food/Drink

“When making butter, there is little margarine for error”

"Margin for error" shouldn't be written as "margarine for error," but there are jokes. "When making butter there is little margarine for error. #pun" was posted…

November 29, 2017
Food/Drink

“When making mac & cheese I didn’t use a colander long enough; wife gave me a restraining order”

A colander joke is: "When making macaroni and cheese I didn't use the colander long enough, and wife gave me a restraining order." The one-line saying was posted on Twitter on…

January 31, 2013
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“When marriage is outlawed, only outlaws will have in-laws”

"When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns" is a popular anti-gun control saying that has been cited in print since at least 1967. The jocular anti-proverb "When marriage…

December 8, 2022
Food/Drink

“When measuring the circumference of a pie, using one pie is not enough. But 2?r”

"When measuring the circumference of a pie, using one pie is not enough. But 2πr" ("two pie are") is a pun that was posted on Reddit -- Dadjokes on December 7, 2022. The…

January 17, 2018
Streets

“When my father came to America he was told the streets were paved with gold…”

For many immigrants to the United States (and especially to New York, through the Ellis Island immigration station), American was thought to be the "Golden Land" of opportunity, where the…

June 10, 2018
Food/Drink

“When my friend mixed onions with nitrous oxide, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry”

Slicing onions makes people cry. Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) makes people laugh. "I've been breathing nitrous oxide while chopping onions. I don't know whether to laugh or cry"…

April 7, 2023
Banking/Finance/Insurance

“When my money low, I don’t feel good. I think I’m a dollarbetic”

"When my money low, I don't feel good. I think I'm a dollarbetic" (usually shown spoken by Baby Yoda) is a saying that has been printed on many images. "Dollarbetic"…

August 22, 2013
Transportation

“When my ship comes in, I’ll be at the airport”

"When my ship comes in" is an idiom meaning "when my fortune arrives." People who have bad luck (and who doubt that their ship ever will come in) have added an extra ending to…

March 24, 2024
Food/Drink

“When my Swiss friends send me cheese, I get sad and miss them terribly. I know I’m being sent Emmental”

Emmental is a yellow, medium-hard cheese that originated in Emmen, Switzerland. It's sometimes joked that one is being "sent Emmental" (sentimental). "pretty gutted i never get…

August 25, 2022
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

“When my wife sends me to the supermarket to get cucumbers…” (NSFW joke)

A joke about buying cucumbers suggests that it's better to identify one's sexual practice than to possibly imply that one is a vegan. "When my girlfriend sends me to the supermarket…

April 25, 2020
Education/Schools

“When Newton was quarantined due to the plague, he invented calculus”

It has been pointed out, during the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic and at other times, that some people have used isolation to great advantage. "Happy birthday to Isaac Newton, who, at the age…

February 1, 2018
Work/Businesses

“When nudists are nervous about giving a speech, do they imagine everyone with their clothes on?”

"Imagine the audience naked" is a saying about performing or giving a speech. Is the opposite true? "If you ever have to give a speech to a group of nudists and you think you’ll…

June 19, 2018
Food/Drink

“When one door closes, another one opens. It’s the fridge”

"When one door shuts, another opens" is an old proverb about opportunity. Several joke versions involve a refrigerator door. "When one door closes, another one opens. With a teenager…

February 6, 2018
Work/Businesses

“When one door closes, sometimes you want to get a hammer and nails to make sure that stays shut”

"When one door closes, another opens" is an old saying about an opportunity lost and one gained. A joke about ending a bad experience was posted on Twitter by CherrySlushie‏ on December…

July 4, 2018
Work/Businesses

“When one door closes, the next one slams in your face”

"When one door shuts, another opens" is an old proverb about opportunity. However, it is also possible that when one door closes, there is no other opportunity -- in fact, there could be…

August 27, 2026
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“When our politicians make their political decisions based on who’s given them the most money, we don’t have a political system…”

"When our politicians make their political decisions based on who's given them the most money, we don’t have a political system. We have an auction" is a saying that has been…

January 30, 2025
Food/Drink

“When people ask me what is more important, food or love, I say nothing, because I еаt”

"When people ask me which is more important, food or love? I don't answer because I'm eating" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. a "When me ask that…

January 30, 2025
Food/Drink

“When people ask me which is more important, food or love? I don’t answer because I’m eating”

"When people ask me which is more important, food or love? I don't answer because I'm eating" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. "When me ask that it…

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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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