Idioms

day job

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the/(one's) day job

One's full-time or primary source of employment, especially in contrast to some activity one does as a hobby or amateur pursuit. My day job for the last five years has been as a systems analyst for a cyber-security firm, but I write articles for video game websites in my spare time. A: "So, what did you think of my new joke? I was going to use it in my act at the comedy club tonight." B: "Yeah, um… maybe don't give up the day job."
See also: job
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

day job

One’s primary employment and source of income, usually during the business day. The term refers to those who would like to pursue another activity, such as singing or acting or creative writing or a sport, which does not earn them much and is done principally at night and on weekends. “Don’t quit your day job” is a humorous response to an inadequate performance. It was said in the film The Kids Are All Right (2010) by the son when his mother sang a song.
See also: job
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
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References in periodicals archive
So, when anyone tells me the SNP aren't getting on with the day job I also remind them about: ?
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On Wednesday, DOLE conducted its simultaneous Independence Day Job Fair in 22 sites nationwide, which offered 68,893 job vacancies.
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Jarvis has assured supporters that he will still be at the helm of Town's commercial development and will remain 100 per cent focused on his day job despite working with Leicestershire County Cricket Club.
Jarvis joins cricket board, but stays at Town
One of the best ways to launch a business idea before you quit the day job is to follow author Chris Guillebeau's plan in "Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days."
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7 QUESTIONS Comedian Matt Winning finds the humour in climate change for new show Filibuster
For example, the freelance stage manager and the playwright both have what one might call day jobs, earning some $68,000 a year maintaining a long-running Off-Broadway show or $70,000 a year teaching.
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Featured is David Brent lookalike Tim (below), who is fed up with his day job as a cardboard packaging salesman.
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Davao City - A total of 1,384 job applicants were hired on the spot during the conduct of the Labor Day Job Fair on Friday here, the Department of Labor and Employment in Davao region (DOLE-11) reported.
Labor Day job fair hires 1,384 applicants on the spot
STATUS "Rhino" Edwards, left, is taking a break from his day job - and heading to Teesside on tour.
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Dean Martin, 20, serves in the Royal Naval Reserve alongside his day job and is currently backing a recruitment campaign to encourage more people to enlist.
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"Mercy in the City" by Kerry Weber has to have one of the all time great subtitles: 'How to Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Visit the Imprisoned, and Keep Your Day Job'.
Mercy in the City
The Britain's Got Talent judge returned to the day job of singing for the children's charity event at the Royal Albert Hall Crop tops - a key trend for summer - are not the most forgiving of items but the 35-year-old mum-of-one shows us how to do them with class.
look of the week..
Also, within his day job he has been busy designing photographic magazines.
My week in pictures
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