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

September 29, 2012
Media/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“‘Media’ is the plural of ‘mediocre’”

New York City newspaper columnist Jimmy Breslin (1930-2017) has often remarked that "'media' is the plural of 'mediocre'" (first cited by Breslin in print in 1978 or…

February 24, 2026
Food/Drink

“‘Mobsters’ are part of a ‘mob’. and so you’d think ‘lobsters’ would be part of a ‘lob’, but ohohohhohoho, life just isn’t so simple”

Lobsters have nothing to do with mobsters or "the lob," but there are jokes. "Tonight's Groaner: If a mobster is a member of the Mob, what's a lobster a member of?"…

August 11, 2014
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“‘Moderate Republican’—that’s kind of like having a gun rack on a Volvo”

"'Moderate Republican' -- that's kind of like having a gun rack on a Volvo" (also, "'Compassionate Conservative -- that's kind of like having a gun rack on a…

May 20, 2020
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

“‘More coffee, Hun?’—Southern waitress serving Attila”

Many Southern waitresses, according to the stereotype, address a diner with "hon" (honey). This as nothing to do with Attila the Hun, but there are jokes. "I get called…

April 6, 2020
Food/Drink

“‘Muffins’ spelled backwards is ‘Sniffum’”

"Do you realize that 'Muffins' spelled backwards is 'Sniffum'?" was posted on the newsgroup alt.games.subspace on October 30, 1998. "Sniffum" sounds like…

August 13, 2014
Government/Law/Military/Religion /Health

“‘Need’ now means wanting someone else’s money; ‘greed’ means keeping your own”

AMerican journalist and writer Joe Sobran (1946-2010) wrote in The Economics of Liberty (1990); In the current political vocabulary, 'need' means wanting to get someone else's money.…

April 29, 2024
Food/Drink

“‘Never eat raw cookie dough’ sounds like a lie made up a long time ago by some guy that sold ovens”

Eating raw cookie dough comes with health risks. This comment was posted on X/Twitter by The Dad on February 27, 2018: "'Never eat raw cookie dough' sounds like a lie made up a long…

March 11, 2018
Media/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“‘News’ is an acronym—Notable Events, Weather, and Sports”

The word "news" comes from "new." It is not an acronym for "North-East-West-South," or anything else, but a backronym (back acronym) went viral in May and June 2017.…

December 25, 2017
Food/Drink

“‘No lemon, no melon’ backwards is ‘No lemon, no melon’”

Entry in progress. -- B.P. Reddit -- Shower Thoughts'No lemon, no melon' backwards is 'No lemon, no melon'submitted December 25, 2017 by MazkaraManik

August 15, 2022
Food/Drink

“‘No thanks, I’m vegetarian’ is a fun thing to say when someone tries to hand you their baby”

"'No thanks, I'm vegetarian' is a fun thing to say when someone tries to hand you their baby" ( or "'No, thanks. I'm a vegetarian,' is a fun thing to…

August 15, 2022
Food/Drink

“‘No, thanks. I’m a vegetarian,’ is a fun thing to say when someone hands you their baby”

"'No thanks, I'm vegetarian' is a fun thing to say when someone tries to hand you their baby" ( or "'No, thanks. I'm a vegetarian,' is a fun thing to…

May 22, 2024
Work/Businesses

“‘Nobody wants to work anymore’ personally I have never wanted to work”

"Nobody wants to work anymore" is a popular complaint, especially by employers. This was posted on X/Twitter by jon drake on April 6, 2022, and received over 568,000 likes:…

September 28, 2025
Work/Businesses

“‘Not all jobs are supposed to earn you a living wage’ oh for sure, this is my recreational job”

Many jobs do not pay a living wage. This comment was posted on X/Twitter by Ꮍᴀᴇʟ on September 21, 2025, and it received over 237,000 likes: "'Not all jobs are supposed to earn you…

October 21, 2025
Work/Businesses

“‘Noted’ is the corporate version of ‘whatever’”

"'Noted' is the corporate version of 'whatever'" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "Whatever" is often used to express indifference,…

November 22, 2012
Food/Drink

“‘Nouvelle cuisine’ is French for ‘not enough food’”

The term "nouvelle cuisine" (French for "new cuisine") was popularized in the 1960s and was characterized by an attractive food display of small portions. "Nouvelle Cuisine…

June 14, 2023
Media/Newspapers/Magazines/Internet

“‘Now, here’s something you don’t see every day….’ A phrase rendered obsolete by WhatsApp”

WhatsApp is a freeware, cross-platform, centralized instant messaging (IM) and voice-over-IP (VoIP) service. There are many messages, of all kinds, on WhatsApp. A joke was posted on Sickipedia on…

May 14, 2020
Food/Drink

“‘OK Boomer,’ said the currant to the elderberry”

An "elderberry" isn't necessarily "elder," but there are jokes. This was posted on Reddit -- Oneliners and Twitter by dadlifememes on May 14, 2020: "'OK…

March 16, 2021
Buildings/Housing/Parks

“‘Old’ is when your wife says, ‘Let’s go upstairs and make love’” (joke)

Climbing stairs can be a challenge as people get older. "'Old' is when your wife says 'Let's go upstairs and make love,' and you reply, 'Honey, I can't do…

March 6, 2021
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

“‘Party Animals’ know when the liquor stores close. Alcoholics know when the liquor stores open”

"If you know when the liquor store closes you are crafty. If you know when the liquor store opens you are an alcoholic" was posted on Twitter by Griffin Danes on June 14, 2013.…

November 10, 2020
Work/Businesses

“‘Per my last email’ is office speak for ‘bitch can you read’”

"Per mail last email" is another way of saying, "I'm telling you again. Listen this time!" "As per my last email=bitch can you read?" was posted on Twitter by…

First
Previous
3 4 5 6 7
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.