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November 16, 2025
Pets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)

“When your children are teenagers, it’s important to have a dog so that someone in the house is happy to see you”

"When your children are teenagers, it’s important to have a dog so that someone in the house is happy to see you" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. A dog is…

February 6, 2026
Media/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“When your ear buds suddenly break and no longer work, do they become your ear enemies?”

"Earbuds" have nothing to do with "buds" or "buddies," but there are jokes. "I hate earbuds. They never stay in my ears. Punks! More like earenemies." was…

June 22, 2025
Exercise/Running/Health Clubs

“When your girl starts to workout out of nowhere, you about to be single”

"If your girl starts to workout out of nowhere, you're about to be single" is a saying that has been printed on many images. It means that she wants to look good to find another man…

July 10, 2019
Work/Businesses

“When your girlfriend comes home in a white suit, smelling of honey…she’s a keeper”

"He's/She's a keeper" means that he/she is relationship and/or marriage material. Or, he/she could just be a beekeeper. "If he comes home wearing an enormous white suit and…

March 15, 2013
Sports/Games

“When your husband comes home with cockleburrs in his pants, don’t ask his score” (golf saying)

American professional golfer Sam Snead (1912-2002) gave this advice to golf widows in September 1974: "When your husband comes home with cockleburrs in the cuffs of his pants, don't ask…

December 9, 2024
Transportation

“When your kids are learning how to drive, don’t stand in their way”

"Don't stand in their way" usually means don't oppose, but a joke takes this literally. "Our friend, E. J. Canada, over in Luther, says that if your wife wants to learn to…

July 23, 2013
Exercise/Running/Health Clubs

“When your legs get tired, run with your heart”

"When your legs are/get tired, run with your heart" is a popular saying that has been printed on many posters. "When your legs burn, run with your heart" was cited on Twitter in…

October 17, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“When your opponent is drowning, throw the son of a bitch an anvil”

Political consultant James Carville explained a favored phrase in his book All's Fair (1995): "When your opponent is drowning, throw the son of a bitch an anvil. — the CEO of a large…

September 4, 2016
Work/Businesses

“When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt”

"When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt" is a popular work saying that has been printed on many images. The saying was printed in an April 11, 1947 Richmond (VA)…

May 14, 2024
Media/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“When YouTube plays an unskippable ad but you look away so they don’t win”

"When YouTube plays an unskippable ad but you look away so they don't win" (shown with a picture of a person looking away from a screen) has been printed on many images. this image…

March 25, 2024
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

“Whenever a waiter asks me how I want my steak, I always say ‘free’”

Waiters ask how a diner would like a steak to be cooked, such as "rare" or "medium" or "well done." A joke on this was published by John Wagner’s Maxine comic…

January 18, 2021
Transportation

“Whenever I drive into a parking garage with a low ceiling, I duck my head down in my car”

"I tend to duck my head a little when I pull into the airport-parking garage so I don't hit my head" was printed in the book Women Fly (2001) by Martha Dreskin. "Today, I…

July 29, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Whenever I get asked to do something I don’t want to do I just answer ‘in a pandemic?’”

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic resulted in many cancellations. Many people quarantined at home. "Whenever I get asked to do something I don’t want to do I just answer 'in a…

February 10, 2017
Exercise/Running/Health Clubs

“Whenever I go running, I meet new people…like paramedics”

"Whenever I go running, I meet new people...like paramedics" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. "EVERY TIME I JOG, I MEET NEW PEOPLE. OF COURSE, THEY'RE…

January 8, 2025
Government/Law/Military/Religion /HealthWork/Businesses

“Whenever I have to fill out a form that asks ‘who to call in case of an emergency,’ I always put ‘ambulance’...”

Many forms ask who to call in case of an emergency. "Employment application blanks always ask who is to be called in case of an emergency. I think you should write, 'An…

November 20, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Whenever I hear the phrase ‘Power of Attorney’ I always imagine someone being bitten by…”

"Whenever I hear the phrase 'Power of Attorney' I always imagine someone being bitten by a radioactive lawyer" is a joke that was posted on Twitter by JerryThomas on June 24,…

December 21, 2020
Exercise/Running/Health Clubs

“Whenever I say the word ‘exercise’ I wash my mouth out with chocolate”

"Whenever I say the word 'exercise' I wash my mouth out with chocolate" (or "Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise' I wash my mouth out with chocolate"…

April 24, 2025
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Whenever I see a bottle, jar or tube with Aloe Vera on it, I will say ‘Allo Vera! in a stupid cockney accent”

"Aloe vera" (a plant species) can sound like "Hello, Vera" (or "Allo, Vera"), and there are jokes. "hehehe... english speaking people saying Aloë Vera... sounds…

December 9, 2020
Food/Drink

“Whenever I see a commercial with a woman in a tub with two cucumber slices on her eyes…”

"Whenever I see a commercial with a woman looking fully relaxed in a tub with cucumber slices on her eyes, I wonder where the rest of it is" is a jocular saying that was posted on Twitter…

January 14, 2017
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Whenever I see a sign that says ‘keep off the grass,‘I wonder how it got there”

A joke about "keep off the grass" signs is: "Whenever I see a sign saying 'keep off the grass', I often wonder how it got there." That is, someone must have walked on…

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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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