Desk Jockey

Meaning of Idiom ‘Desk Jockey’

A desk jockey is someone who spends most of their time seated at a desk; someone who works in an office all day; and administrator or buearocrat as opposed to someone who works in the field.

The term desk jockey is often humorous but sometimes pejorative, referring to someone who is more concerned with procedural rules, paperwork, and red tape than practical things that affect people’s lives.

The term desk jockey is similar to “pencil pusher” and “paper shuffler.” All of these idioms emerged during the 20th century when office work, especially that related to corporate employment, became more prevalent. These types of idioms refer to the boring and tedious nature of working in an office.

In military and police settings, several alternative versions are heard:

• desk pilot
• desk rider
• desk cowboy
• desk commando

In television and movies, the term desk jockey is largely used to refer to military, police, or others who work in dangerous fields and have been removed from fieldwork and relegated to working in an office performing administrative tasks.

Sentence Examples

“I became a musician because I felt like my only other option was to become a desk jockey.”

“My dad wanted me to work for his company and be a desk jockey the rest of my life. Instead, I started a YouTube channel about camping.”

“I got charged 500 bucks by the IRS because some desk jockey forgot to do his job.”

“You guys were outside, and you’re dirty.” “Because we’re field agents, Lou. We can’t all be desk jockeys like you, sitting around wearing ugly sweaters.” — Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (2010)

“How does it feel to work in the field after being a desk jockey?” — Johan Falk: GSI – Gruppen för särskilda insatser (2009)

“I’d just as soon fly as sit at a desk.” “You’ll fly, all right. All my staff officers are pilots first and desk jockeys second.” —Strategic Air Command (1955)

“So this is my desk.” “Desk jockey, huh? You just sit here, eat your pickles, wait for the criminals to turn themselves in.” — Brooklyn Nine-Nine: 48 Hours (2013)

“You’re a pilot, T.J. You’ll never make it as a desk jockey.” — Baa Baa Black Sheep (1976)

“Oh, look at that, it’s lunchtime. Even us desk jockeys, we gotta eat, right?” — Bones: The Future in the Past (2012)

“Identify yourself.” “I’m the man who just took over your gulag, and you’re a desk jockey that’s gonna put me in touch with somebody who matters– clear?” — The Blacklist: Luther Braxton (No. 21) (2015)

“You keep your eyes on the street, and you leave the detective work to the desk jockeys. Don’t be stupid like Jones. always wear your vest.” — Bulletproof (2009)

Origin

According to the OED, the earliest known use of desk jockey is from a 1943 edition of the Washington Post.

It is largely accepted that desk jockey is patterned after disc jockey. While the ultimate origin of the expression comes from a horse jockey, the similar-sounding idiom disc-jockey may have helped popularize the idiom “desk jockey.” However, it is not clear that the idiom alludes to being a disc jockey.

Since a jockey is someone who rides a horse, a desk jockey can be likened to someone who ‘rides a desk.’ This humorous allusion may have been born in the United States military, especially in aviation branches such as the Air Force or Navy. A military pilot is sometimes called a ‘fighter jockey,’ someone who “rides a fighter jet.” Military bureaucracy and administration, often the bane of military service, would be likened to a person who, instead of being a true soldier and working in a field or piloting an aircraft, might be likened to someone who “pilots a desk.” The existence of so many alternative forms of this idiom in the military lends credence to its military origin before being adopted into general use to refer to corporate life.