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February 16, 2021
Work/Businesses

“Ehh, good enough.—Mediocrates”

Socrates (470-399 BC) was a Greek philosopher from Athens who is credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy. There was no philosopher named "Mediocrates" or…

February 16, 2021
Work/Businesses

“Ehh, good enough.—Mediocretes”

Socrates (470-399 BC) was a Greek philosopher from Athens who is credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy. There was no philosopher named "Mediocrates" or…

December 10, 2024
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

“Eight bytes walk into a bar…” (bar joke)

"A guy walks into a bar..." is a typical form of what has been called the "bar joke." A progammer version is: "Eight bytes walk into a bar. The bartender asks, 'Can I…

February 10, 2022
Food/Drink

“Eight S’s of wine tasting: See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip, Slurp, Swish, Swallow (or Spit) and Savor”

Wine tasting involves several steps, almost all beginning with the letter "S": see (sight), swirl, sniff (smell), sip, swish, savor, spit (or swallow) and score. Three S's"See,…

July 2, 2014
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Eisenhower Doll—wind it up and it does nothing for eight years”

A popular joke was said by Democrats about U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower (a Republican) in January 1961: "And in Washington they're laughing about the 'Eisenhower Doll.'…

October 13, 2021
Food/Drink

“Either Coke or Pepsi is fine. I’m bi-carbonate”

"Bicarbonate of soda" has nothing to do with Coke or Pepsi or bisexuality, but there are jokes. "If I drink Pepsi or coke does that make me bi-carbonated?" was posted on Twitter…

December 21, 2012
Media/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing”

Entry in progress -- B.P. Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) 7 January 1853, Evening Star (Washington, DC), "Scissors and Paste," pg. 3, col. 3:If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are…

August 12, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Either you limit government or government limits you”

"Either you limit government or government limits you" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "Either you limit government or the government will limit you" was…

May 31, 2016
Neighborhoods

“El Bronx” (Bogotá, Colombia)

"El Bronx" is a neighborhood of the city of Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, that's named after the New York City borough of "The Bronx." El Bronx is a high crime area,…

July 15, 2021
Food/Drink

“Elbow macaroni implies the existence of knee macaroni”

There is "elbow macaroni," but no "knee macaroni" or "knuckle macaroni." "I like elbow macaroni, but I prefer knee macaroni. Or, if I'm not very hungry,…

August 10, 2019
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Elect a clown, expect a circus”

"(If you) Elect a clown, expect a circus" is a political saying that has been printed on many images. "Obama meets with George Clooney instead. If you elect a clown, expect a…

October 2, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Elections have consequences and stolen elections have serious consequences”

"Elections have consequences" is a political saying that became popular in the 1980s. "Stolen Elections Have Consequences: Unelected Fascist Franken Denies Lieberman an…

January 29, 2009
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Elections have consequences”

"Actions have consequences" is an ancient truism, very obvious and not attributed to any particular speaker. "Ideas have consequences" is the title of a 1948 book by philosopher…

April 5, 2024
Transportation

“Electric cars: A plan that doesn’t work to fix a problem that doesn’t exist”

"Electric cars: A plan that doesn't work to fix a problem that doesn't exist" is a saying that has been shown on many images. "- TRUE or FALSE - 'Electric Cars: A plan…

January 14, 2024
Transportation

“Electric vehicle owners should ONLY be allowed to charge their cars using wind and solar power…”

"Electric vehicle owners should ONLY be allowed to charge their cars using wind and solar power, otherwise it's just pretend" is a jocular saying that has been printed on several…

September 29, 2010
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Elephant in the room” (“Elephant in the living room”)

Entry in progress -- B.P. “If you’ve gained weight and nobody wants to mention it, you are the elephant in the room” is a joke on the saying. Wikipedia: Elephant in the room"Elephant in…

March 17, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Elephants and asses are conning the masses”

"Elephants and asses are screwing the masses" -- referring to the political party symbols of the Republican elephant and the Democratic donkey -- is a saying that has been printed on many…

March 17, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Elephants and asses are killing the masses”

"Elephants and asses are screwing the masses" -- referring to the political party symbols of the Republican elephant and the Democratic donkey -- is a saying that has been printed on many…

March 17, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Elephants and asses are poisoning the masses”

"Elephants and asses are screwing the masses" -- referring to the political party symbols of the Republican elephant and the Democratic donkey -- is a saying that has been printed on many…

March 14, 2021
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“Elephants and asses are screwing the masses”

"Elephants and asses are screwing the masses" -- referring to the political party symbols of the Republican elephant and the Democratic donkey -- is a saying that has been printed on many…

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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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