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May 3, 2024
Banking/Finance/Insurance

“Can’t even rob Peter to pay Paul anymore… Peter ain’t got it either”

"Can't even rob Peter to pay Paul anymore... Peter ain't got it either" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "To rob Peter to pay Paul" is an old saying…

October 22, 2013
Sports/Games

“Can’t fight his way out of a paper bag”

A boxer who "can't fight/hit/punch his way out of a paper bag" is a very poor fighter. "From his appearance, one wouldn't think he was husky enough to punch his way out of…

June 7, 2017
Media/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“Can’t find your children?  Try turning off the wifi.  They appear suddenly”

"Can't find your children? Try turning off the wifi. They appear suddenly" is a jocular one-line saying about wifi that has been printed on many images. The saying was posted on…

August 11, 2014
Sports/Games

“Can’t hit the broad side of a barn” (baseball saying)

A marksman who "can't hit the broad side (broadside) of a barn" is a very poor marksman. "You can't hit the broadside of a barn!" was cited in print in 1852. The idiom…

June 6, 2012
Banking/Finance/Insurance

“Can’t rub two nickels together” (poor)

A person who "can't rub two pennies/nickels/dimes/quarters/dollars together" is a person who doesn't have much money. "Not in a position to rub two pennies together"…

December 17, 2024
Food/Drink

“Can’t trust people who eat reheated fries”

Reheated french fries are never good, but some people still reheat fries, anyway. "Can't trust people who eat reheated fries. Rft" was posted on X/Twitter by Donnie Grey on April 12,…

May 5, 2025
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Can’t wait for WW1 to end so we can get rid of this temporary income tax”

The U.S. income tax was established with the Sixteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution that was ratified in 1913. During World War I, the top rate rose to 77%, but this was…

November 26, 2020
Food/Drink

“Can’t wait to make a huge Thanksgiving dinner so my child can eat one roll”

Many people prepare a huge Thanksgiving feast, but one person (usually a daughter) doesn't eat much. "Pretty excited about making a huge Thanksgiving feast so my daughter can eat a…

April 18, 2020
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Can’t wait until they legalize outside”

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic caused many people to be quarantined in their homes. "Stay at home" was frequently advised. "can’t wait til they legalize outside" was…

February 6, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Can’t believe they let just anyone make babies but you gotta have a license to fucking fish”

"Can’t believe they let just anyone make babies but you gotta have a license to fucking fish" is a saying that has been printed on many images. The actor Keanu Reeves said in the…

May 8, 2020
Transportation

“Can’t wait for the day I walk down the aisle and hear those magical words: ‘Captain speaking…’”

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic restricted air travel, and many people couldn't wait to be in an airplane again. "Can't wait to walk down the aisle someday... and hear those…

April 18, 2020
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Can’t wait til they legalize outside”

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic caused many people to be quarantined in their homes. "Stay at home" was frequently advised. "can’t wait til they legalize outside" was…

March 27, 2020
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Can’t wait til tomorrow. I have another big day of hand washing & looking out the window planned”

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic resulted in many people quarantining themselves in their homes. Boredom resulted. "I slept 14 hours last night absolutely locked and fuckin loaded for a big…

April 18, 2020
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“Can’t wait till they legalize outside”

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic caused many people to be quarantined in their homes. "Stay at home" was frequently advised. "can’t wait til they legalize outside" was…

March 29, 2017
Work/Businesses

“Can’t wait to get off work, then I can finally stop staring at this damn computer…”

A joke about work is: "Can’t wait to get off work—then I can finally stop staring at this damn computer, and go stare at a different computer." The line was posted on Twitter by Colin…

January 11, 2022
Food/Drink

“Canada Dry implies the existence of Canada Moist”

Canada Dry is a brand of soft drinks, especially famous for its ginger ale. There is no "Canada Wet" or "Canada Moist," but there are jokes. "not to freak you out or…

January 11, 2022
Food/Drink

“Canada Dry implies the existence of Canada Wet”

Canada Dry is a brand of soft drinks, especially famous for its ginger ale. There is no "Canada Wet" or "Canada Moist," but there are jokes. "not to freak you out or…

July 13, 2021
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

“Canadian buffet. All Yukon eat”

"Yukon" sounds like "you can," and there are "All Yukon Eat" jokes. "Alaskan Crab Legs (...) ALL YUKON EAT!!" was in an advertisement in the Daily Press…

June 30, 2023
Food/Drink

“Canadian Mallomars are called Whippets”

Mallomars are cookies, first introduced in 1913 by Nabisco, with a graham cracker base topped with marshmallow, and coated with dark chocolate. The chocolate melted in the summer, and the product…

August 13, 2021
Food/Drink

“Canapé. Scottish for, I don’t have the money”

"Canapé" can sound like "can not pay." "What did the Scotsman say when he didn’t have the money for his Hors d'oeuvre bill? I canapé" was posted on Twitter by…

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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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