The Big Apple
About Archives Categories Index Search
About Archives Categories Index Search

October 27, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can vaccinate the entire planet, but you can’t feed the starving?”

The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic resulted in vaccines, but many people wondered why there was money for vaccines but no money to feed the poor. "Government can Vax the entire planet but…

October 27, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can vax the entire planet, but you can’t feed the starving?”

The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic resulted in vaccines, but many people wondered why there was money for vaccines but no money to feed the poor. "Government can Vax the entire planet but…

November 22, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can vote your way into communism, but you have to shoot your way out”

"You can vote your way into communism/socialism, but you have to shoot your way out" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "The problem with socialism is that you can…

November 22, 2022
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out”

"You can vote your way into communism/socialism, but you have to shoot your way out" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "The problem with socialism is that you can…

December 17, 2015
Exercise/Running/Health Clubs

“You can wake up sore or you can wake up sorry”

"You can wake up sore or you can wake up sorry" is a motivational saying. " A friend of mine posted this on FB 'if u don't wake up sore, you'll wake up…

April 21, 2024
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t ban your way to freedom”

"You can't tax your way to prosperity. You can't bomb your way to security. And you can't ban your way to liberty" was posted on X/Twitter by Alice Smith on December 9,…

December 19, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t be right by doing wrong; you can’t be wrong by doing right”

"You can't be right by doing wrong; you can't be wrong by doing right" is an adage of Thomas S. Monson, the 16th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.…

June 22, 2017
Food/Drink

“You can’t be sad when you’re holding a cupcake”

"You can't be sad when you're holding a cupcake" is a one-line cupcake saying that has been printed on many images. "Today my hometown honored me with Kid President…

January 14, 2009
Food/Drink

“You can’t be too rich or too thin”

"You can't be too rich or too thin" (or "A woman can never be too rich or too thin") is a popular phrase that originated in the 1960s. Women were obsessed with being thin…

June 14, 2012
Government/Law/Military/Religion /HealthPets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)

“You can’t beat a horse with no horse” (political adage)

"You can't beat a horse with no horse" is a racetrack saying meaning that you must have a horse in the race to beat another horse. The saying has been almost exclusively used in…

December 8, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t beat somebody with nobody”

"You can't beat somebody with nobody" is an old political axiom. No matter how poorly a political "somebody" is, that candidate can't be beaten by "nobody."…

June 15, 2014
Sports/Games

“You can’t beat what you can’t catch”

"You can't beat what you can't catch" is a saying that has been used in horse racing since at least 1943. The saying has also been used in auto racing -- there is a popular…

April 21, 2024
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t bomb your way to democracy”

"You can't tax your way to prosperity. You can't bomb your way to security. And you can't ban your way to liberty" was posted on X/Twitter by Alice Smith on December 9,…

April 21, 2024
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t bomb your way to security”

"You can't tax your way to prosperity. You can't bomb your way to security. And you can't ban your way to liberty" was posted on X/Twitter by Alice Smith on December 9,…

May 25, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“You can’t BS a BSer” (“You can’t bullshit a bullshitter”)

"You can't BS a BSer" ("You can't bullshit a bullshitter") is sometimes used in political arguments. The cynical premise is that all politicians are BSers, so that one…

July 6, 2012
Work/Businesses

“You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do”

"You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do" means that a reputation is build on achievement, not on potential achievement. James J. Hill (1838-1916), the chief…

February 3, 2020
Work/Businesses

“You can’t build with someone who ain’t trying to help you carry the bricks”

"You can't build with someone who ain't trying to help you carry the bricks" is a relationship saying that has been printed on many images. The expression compares building a…

November 7, 2012
Food/Drink

“You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy ice cream”

"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy ice cream" (or "Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy ice cream") is a popular saying that has been printed on posters.…

August 2, 2025
Food/Drink

“You can’t buy Hot Pockets. You can only buy Cold Pockets. You are expected to supply the heat yourself. Don’t believe the lies”

"You can't buy Hot Pockets. You can only buy Cold Pockets. You are expected to supply the heat yourself. Don't believe the lies" is a jocular saying that has been printed on…

February 13, 2017
Banking/Finance/Insurance

“You can’t buy love, but you can pay heavily for it”

"You can't buy love, but you can pay heavily for it" is a one-line saying that has been printed on many images. New York-based stand-up comedian Henny Youngman (1906-1998) is usually…

First
Previous
1481 1482 1483 1484 1485
Next
Last

About the Website and Editor

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.

Read more About the Website and Editor
About
Privacy Policy
RSS

© 2026 Barry Popik. All rights reserved.