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About Archives Categories Index Search

January 12, 2015
Sports/Games

“When you hoist a championship trophy, a mystical blood kinship is formed”

NFL football coach Bill Parcells said at his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August 2013: “We've got that momentary time of exhilaration where you hoist that championship…

December 27, 2025
Work/Businesses

“When you late for work so you walk in fast & act fake mad”

If you're late for work, don't walk in with a smile on your face. Look angry or mad, as if the traffic, or a delayed bus or train, or something else held you back from that wonderful work…

June 15, 2019
Work/Businesses

“When you learn how much you’re worth, you’ll stop giving people discounts”

"When you learn how much you're worth, you'll stop giving people discounts" is an inspirational saying that has been printed on many images. "Once you realize your true…

November 19, 2015
Names/Phrases

“When you leave New York, you are astonished at how clean the rest of the world is”

“When you leave New York, you are astonished at how clean the rest of the world is,” New York-based author Fran Lebowitz told People magazine in September 1978. "Clean is not enough."…

December 13, 2004
Food/Drink

“When you leave New York, your next good meal will be in San Francisco”

Yes, there's good food in New York and there's good food San Francisco. Some say that you can get a good meal in New Orleans. See "Names and Phrases" for other ways to finish…

May 11, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“When you let governments do whatever they want, you get Auschwitz”

"When you let people do whatever they want, you get Woodstock. When you let governments do whatever they want, you get Auschwitz" was written by Doug Newman and printed in The Libertarian…

May 11, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“When you let governments do whatever they want, you get Waco”

"When you let people do whatever they want, you get Woodstock. When you let governments do whatever they want, you get Auschwitz" was written by Doug Newman and printed in The Libertarian…

May 25, 2020
Media/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“When you look at Twitter’s trending topics, it’s easier to understand…”

Many people on social media are not too bright. "Take a look at trending topics on Twitter and you'll understand why they have to write 'do not eat' on dry silica packets"…

March 15, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“When you mix religion and politics, you get politics”

"When you mis religion/science and politics, you get politics" (or, "When you mix politics and religion/science, you get politics") means that politics overcomes any discussion…

October 24, 2015
Work/Businesses

“When you need something to believe in, start with yourself”

"When you need something to believe in, start with yourself" is a motivational saying that has been printed on many posters. The saying has been cited on Twitter since October 15, 2009.…

April 8, 2015
Banking/Finance/Insurance

“When you open your heart to giving, angels fly to your door”

"When you open your heart to giving, angels fly to your door" is a quotation, usually unattributed, that is frequently used by many charity organizations. "He taught us that when you…

October 13, 2025
Food/DrinkRestaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

“When you order a slice of pizza from a pizza place, you’re sharing a pizza with a group of strangers”

When you buy a slice of pizza and other people eat the other slices, are you "sharing" a pizza? This was posted on Reddit -- Showerthoughts on September 16, 2014: "When you order a…

February 27, 2020
Banking/Finance/Insurance

“When you pay for things with a credit card, you’re paying with your future earnings”

"When you pay for things with a credit card, you’re paying with your future earnings. When you pay with a debit card, you’re paying with your past earnings" is an explanation of…

February 28, 2020
Banking/Finance/Insurance

“When you pay with a debit card, you’re paying with your past earnings”

"When you pay for things with a credit card, you’re paying with your future earnings. When you pay with a debit card, you’re paying with your past earnings" is an explanation of…

May 27, 2013
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“When you point your finger at someone, three are pointing back at you”

"When you point your finger at someone, three are pointing back at you" refers to the index finger and the three other fingers exclusive of the thumb.The saying means that when you accuse…

December 24, 2014
Work/Businesses

“When you promote a good engineer to manager, you may get a bad manager and lose a good engineer”

"When you promote a good engineer to manager, you may get a bad manager and lose a good engineer" is a popular saying of unknown authorship. "One loses a good contributor and gets a…

February 12, 2025
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“When you push a pull door and someone says ‘you have to pull.’ Like yeah no, my next plan was to start lifting it from the bottom”

People who go through a push/pull door often make a mistake. Other people often point out the mistake, as if the person going through the door couldn't have already figured that out. "i…

December 11, 2009
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“When you put ‘THE’ and ‘IRS’ together, it spells ‘‘THEIRS’”

Several people have noticed that when you put the words "the" and "IRS" together, it spells the word "theirs." The joke has been cited in print since at least 1984,…

June 21, 2024
Radio/Television

“When you put a spell on one person, it’s called Spell Casting. When you put a spell on the masses, it’s called Broad-Casting”

An image, featuring media logos, was posted on Instagram by expeditious_fool on April 18, 2024: "When you put a spell on one person, It's called Spell Casting. When you put a spell on the…

December 10, 2024
Media/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“When you put your laptop into the sleep mode, you have a naptop”

"Naptop" is a portmanteau of the words "nap" and "laptop" that has been printed on many images. It has meant when a cat or a person goes to sleep on a laptop computer.…

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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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