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February 23, 2013
Work/Businesses

“You are only as sick as your secrets”

"You are only as sick as your secrets" is a saying that has been used by Alcoholics Anonymous since at least 1985. Addiction is a secret that makes people sick. The authorship of the…

February 14, 2020
Food/Drink

“You are only as strong as the drinks you mix, the tables you dance on & the friends you roll with”

"You're only as strong as the drinks you mix, the tables you dance on and the friends you party/roll with" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "Your only as strong…

January 5, 2026
Work/Businesses

“You are paid by how hard you are to replace. Not by how hard you work”

"You aren't paid according to how hard you work. You are paid according to how hard you are to replace" is a saying that has been printed on many images. Many people can work hard,…

September 16, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You are the carbon they want to eliminate”

"You are the carbon they want to eliminate/reduce" and "The only carbon they want to reduce is you" are sayings about climate change that have been printed on many images.…

September 16, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You are the carbon they want to reduce”

"You are the carbon they want to eliminate/reduce" and "The only carbon they want to reduce is you" are sayings about climate change that have been printed on many images.…

December 2, 2022
Time/Weather

“You are the Monday of my life”

Many people hate Mondays. "How to say I hate you in a nice way? 'You are the Monday of my life'" and "Don't tell anyone 'I hate you' directly. Say 'You…

March 28, 2024
Food/Drink

“You are the tequila, not the lime”

"Don’t be a chaser, be the one who gets chased. You are the tequila, not the lime" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "You are the tequila, not the lime,"…

November 4, 2017
Food/Drink

“You are what you eat—minus what you excrete”

Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), in the book Physiologie du Gout (1825), wrote "Tell me what you eat, and I shall tell you what you are," often interpreted as "you are what…

April 21, 2018
Food/Drink

“You are what you eat, so cannibals are real people persons”

A "people person" is someone who interacts well with other people. Companies often want to hire "people persons" who like people, but cannibals also "like" people. A…

July 5, 2022
Food/Drink

“You are what you eat. So don’t be fast, cheap, easy or fake”

"You are what you eat. So don't be fast, cheap easy or fake" is a saying that has been printed on many images. Authorship is unknown. “If we are what we eat, I’m fast, cheap and…

June 2, 2013
Food/Drink

“You are what you eat.”/“I need to eat a skinny person.”

A popular one-panel comic strip (cited in print since at least April 2009) by "BRIAN" has this dialogue: BUNNY: Don't forget. You are what you eat. BEAR: I need to eat a skinny…

June 29, 2013
Media/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“You are what you tweet”

Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), in the book Physiologie du Gout (1825), wrote "Tell me what you eat, and I shall tell you what you are," often interpreted as "you are what…

December 29, 2014
Sports/Games

“You are what your record says you are”

"You are what your record says you are" means that the record speaks for itself. A team with a good record is not overrated and a team with a bad record is not underrated. All teams have…

October 26, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You are who you pretend to be (in politics)”

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1922-2007) wrote in the introduction to his novel Mother Night (1961): "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." "You are…

December 22, 2014
Work/Businesses

“You are your best career adviser”

"You are your best career adviser/counselor/manager" is a popular saying in human resources. "You are your best career manager" was cited in print in a 1986 U.S. military…

May 15, 2012
Education/Schools

“You are your child’s first teacher”

"You are your child's first teacher" is a saying that emphasizes the parents' role in education. The saying was popularized as the title of a bestselling book, You Are Your…

July 13, 2015
Sports/Games

“You aren’t a true champion until you successfully defend your title”

Entry in progress -- B.P. Bleacher ReportUFC's Top 10 First-Time Title DefensesBy Brian Oswald , MMA Editor Oct 22, 2009They say you aren’t a true champion until you successfully defend your…

November 29, 2014
Exercise/Running/Health Clubs

“You aren’t going to get the butt you want by sitting on the one you have”

"You aren't going to get the ass/butt you want by sitting on the one you have" is a saying that has been printed on many posters. "You aren't going to get the butt you want…

July 15, 2023
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You aren’t meant to be understood by everyone. You’re meant to blow some minds and break belief…”

"You aren't meant to be understood by everyone. You're meant to blow some minds and break belief systems" is a saying that has been printed on an image. "You're not…

January 5, 2026
Work/Businesses

“You aren’t paid according to how hard you work. You are paid according to how hard you are to replace”

"You aren't paid according to how hard you work. You are paid according to how hard you are to replace" is a saying that has been printed on many images. Many people can work hard,…

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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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