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Origin of Phrases - K
Keeping up with the Jones's
Meaning: Maintaining an appearance of affluence and wealth for the benefit of others.
Example: In this world people don't respect you for accumulating wealth, they respect you for spending it. Most people who seem rich have very little wealth, they spend it all keeping up with the Jones's.
Origin: Jones is an extremely common surname in the United States and in this phrase is meant to be a generic term for the neighbors. The phrase makes much more sense when you say "keeping up with the neighbors".
It is a common practice in suburbia for neighbors to be fiercely competitive, and to continually try to have the nicest house, lawn etc. in the neighborhood.
"Keeping Up With the Joneses" was the name of a comic strip that ran across the United States from 1913 to 1931. Arthur Momand based it on his experiences as a newly married young man making $125 week and living in New York. He originally wanted to name the strip "Keeping Up With the Smiths," but changed it to the Joneses because it seemed "more euphonious."