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

November 13, 2021
Work/Businesses

“The greatest prison people live in is the fear of what other people think”

"The greatest prison people live in is the fear of what other people think" (or "One of the greatest prisons people live in is the fear of what other people think") is a saying…

August 8, 2018
Work/Businesses

“The greatest quest in life is to reach one’s potential”

"The greatest quest in life is to reach one's potential" is a motivational saying that has been printed on many images. Author and educational consultant Mychal Wynn has been…

December 24, 2025
Banking/Finance/InsuranceHolidays/Events/ParadesWork/Businesses

“The Grinch doesn’t need to steal Christmas because the cost of living already has”

"I don’t need the Grinch to steal Christmas, the cost of living already did (that)" is a saying that has been printed on many images. In How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (a…

November 25, 2019
Work/Businesses

“The guy who fell off the ferris wheel is at the hospital. He’s in fair condition”

The word "fair" can be an adjective ("reasonable" or "adequate") and a noun (such as a county fair). "Confession: Whenever I read 'at the hospital in fair…

March 8, 2020
Work/Businesses

“The guy who invented hand sanitizer must be rubbing his hands together right now”

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) increased the sale of hand sanitizer. "The guy/person who invented hand sanitizer must be rubbing his/their hands together now" -- that is, rubbing…

July 4, 2018
Work/Businesses

“The harder you work for something, the greater you’ll feel when you achieve it”

"The harder you work for something, the greater you'll feel when you achieve it" is an inspirational saying that has been printed on many images. "The harder you work for…

April 2, 2018
Work/Businesses

“The hardest part of bringing your lunch to work is resisting the temptation to eat it”

Bringing lunch to work causes temptations. "The hardest part of bringing your lunch to work is resisting the temptation to eat it in the first half hour" is a saying that was posted on…

April 3, 2025
Work/Businesses

“The hardest part of my job is being nice to stupid people”

"The hardest part of my job is being nice to stupid people" and "I'm not qualified to be nice to stupid people" are jocular work sayings that have been printed on many…

October 31, 2015
Work/Businesses

“The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn”

"The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn" is a popular saying that has been printed on posters and ecards. "One of the many difficult decisions…

February 22, 2023
Work/Businesses

“The highways of life are full of flat squirrels who couldn’t make up their minds”

"Be decisive. Right or wrong, make a decision. The road of life is paved with flat squirrels who couldn’t make a decision" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images.…

August 8, 2017
Work/Businesses

“The hours between coffee and wine really are pointless”

"The hours between coffee and wine really are pointless" (or "The hours between coffee and wine really have no purpose") is a saying that has been printed on many images. These…

November 7, 2025
Government/Law/Military/Religion /HealthWork/Businesses

“The human back is a travesty. Do you have a job where you’re on your feet a lot? Your back hurts now…”

People seem to have back problems, regardless if they have a physical job or a desk job. This was posted on X/Twitter by waluigi simulator (the account is now private) on July 6, 2018, and received…

February 21, 2018
Work/Businesses

“The human race is faced with a cruel choice: work or daytime television”

"The human race is faced with a cruel choice: work or daytime television" is a jocular saying that has been printed on several images. "The human race is faced with a cruel choice:…

July 30, 2018
Work/Businesses

“The IKEA job interviewer said, ‘Welcome! Come in and make a seat’”

"IKEA Job Interview" is the title of a much-reprinted cartoon, cited in print since at least 2006. "Please have a seat." the interviewer says. The interviewee sees the seat…

April 7, 2024
Banking/Finance/InsuranceWork/Businesses

“The itsy-bitsy paycheck just post to my account. Down came the bills and wiped the money out”

"The itsy-bitsy paycheck just post/posted to my account. Down came the bills and wiped the money out" is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. "The Itsy Bitsy…

May 21, 2017
Work/Businesses

“The job requires me to get a potato clock” (get up at eight o’clock)

An old joke has a person seek to purchase a "potato clock" because he or she was told to "get up at eight o'clock." The mondegreen has been cited in print since at least…

April 5, 2006
Work/Businesses

“The Kids’ Department Store” (Cookie’s)

Cookie's is "The Kids' Department Store." Cookie's has been around since 1975 and has stores in several boroughs. Cookie's has a large business in school uniforms.…

December 21, 2012
Work/Businesses

“The ladder of success is never crowded at the top”

"The ladder of success is never crowded at the top" means something similar to "there's always room at the top" -- for someone who is talented and who works hard, there is…

August 17, 2017
Work/Businesses

“The ladder to success” (joke)

The word "success" sounds like "suck Cess." A bawdy joke has a person climb the "ladder to success," only to find a person at the top say, "I'm Cess."…

October 27, 2013
Work/Businesses

“The largest room in the world is the room for improvement”

"The largest room in the world, is the 'room for improvement'" is an aphorism that has been cited in print since at least 1862. The authorship of the saying is unknown. 25…

First
Previous
142 143 144 145 146
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.