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

July 20, 2012
Work/Businesses

“It takes nine months to make a baby, no matter how many people you put on the job”

"It takes nine months to make a baby, no matter how many people you put on the job" is a popular American business proverb. For some businesses, such as apple-picking in an orchard,…

October 17, 2013
Work/Businesses

“It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark” (planning proverb)

"It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark" is a proverbial saying that means that one should plan ahead. "It Wasn't Raining When Noah Commenced the Ark" was cited in…

November 29, 2019
Work/Businesses

“It’ll be greater later” (motivational saying)

"It gets greater later" (or "It'll get greater later") is a motivational saying that has been printed on several images. Authorship is unknown. "Things will get…

November 29, 2019
Work/Businesses

“It’ll get greater later” (motivational saying)

"It gets greater later" (or "It'll get greater later") is a motivational saying that has been printed on several images. Authorship is unknown. "Things will get…

December 23, 2012
Work/Businesses

“It’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it”

"It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it" (or, "it's dirty work, but someone's gotta do it") is a popular cliché said about difficult jobs. In 1955,…

October 30, 2015
Work/Businesses

“It’s a job that’s never started that takes the longest to finish”

English writer J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973) wrote in The Fellowship of the Ring, the first part of The Lord of the Rings (spoken by Sam to Frodo): "It's the job that's never started…

April 5, 2019
Work/Businesses

“It’s a small world, but I wouldn’t want to paint it”

“It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to paint it" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. American stand-up comedian Steven Wright has used the line since at…

February 16, 2024
Work/Businesses

“It’s actually bad luck to say MacBook inside an office. You have to call it ‘The Scottish Laptop’”

"It's actually bad luck to say MacBook inside an office. You have to call it 'The Scottish Laptop'" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. William…

March 17, 2019
Work/Businesses

“It’s amazing how fast later comes when you buy now!”

"Buy now -- pay later" is a popular sales tactic. "It's amazing how fast later comes when you buy now!" is a saying that has been printed on many images. Origin of the…

December 14, 2025
Work/Businesses

“It’s been six years since my job interview. I’m beginning to suspect they chose someone else”

Many people go on a job interview, and then never hear anything back. "It’s been 4 years since my job interview. I’m beginning to suspect they chose someone else" is a joke that has…

December 2, 2022
Work/Businesses

“It’s beginning to cost a lot like Christmas”

"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" (1951) is a Christmas song written by Meredith Wilson (1902-1984). "It's beginning to cost a lot like Christmas" (about…

November 28, 2025
Media/Newspapers/Magazines/InternetWork/Businesses

“It’s Black Friday to many of you. To me, it’s unsubscribe from this email list I never knew I was on Friday”

Many people are bombarded with Black Friday emails, many from companies they have never even heard of. Black Friday is the time to unsbuscribe. "It's Black Friday to many of you. To me,…

June 17, 2019
Work/Businesses

“It’s difficult to say what my wife does. She sells sea shells by the sea shore”

"She sells sea shells by the sea shore" is a tongue twister that has been cited in print since at least 1904. "Has a friend who, started a new job recently. It’s kinda hard to say…

May 14, 2025
Food/DrinkTime/WeatherWork/Businesses

“It’s Friday! My smile is brighter, and my coffee is richer because I know the weekend is nearly here”

"It's Friday! My smile is brighter, and my coffee is richer because I know the weekend is nearly here" is a Friday saying that has been printed on several images. "It’s…

June 16, 2023
Work/Businesses

“It’s Friday! Time to work! And by work I mean drink coffee and pretend to look busy!”

"When in doubt, drink coffee and look busy" and "Friday goals: Drink coffee and look busy until the weekend gets here" are coffee sayings that have been printed on many images.…

February 23, 2024
Time/WeatherWork/Businesses

“It’s Friday. Walk in. Fuck shit up. Walk out”

"It's Friday. Walk in. Fuck shit up. Walk out" is a Friday saying that has been printed on many images. "#1068. Party instructions: Walk in. Fuck shit up. Walk out. #brotips…

April 30, 2019
Work/Businesses

“It’s Friday…any plan of being a productive member of society is officially thrown out the window”

"It's Friday...any plan of being a productive member of society is officially thrown out the window" is a Friday saying that has been printed on many images. The saying was posted on…

October 19, 2025
Work/Businesses

“It’s getting increasingly harder to tumble out of bed and stumble to the kitchen and pour myself a cup of ambition”

"It's getting increasingly harder to tumble out of bed and stumble to the kitchen and pour myself a cup of ambition" is a saying that has been printed on many images. "Tumble…

February 8, 2017
Work/Businesses

“It’s IKEA’s birthday today, so I took them some eggs, flour, icing sugar, butter and a whisk”

IKEA is a store that sells ready-to-assemble furniture. "Happy 25th Birthday IKEA! Here's your Cake.x" (with a picture of cake ingredients) was posted by Masai Graham on Twitter on…

June 30, 2025
Food/DrinkRestaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food StoresWork/Businesses

“It’s just me and my Costco hot dog against the world”

A hot dog at Costco (a warehouse club retail store chain) is famous for staying at a low price (usually $1.50). "It’s just me and my Costco hotdog against the world" was posted on…

First
Previous
89 90 91 92 93
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.