A person cannot live without food. However, spiritual food is no less important than bodily one. Today, we want to quench your spiritual hunger with the help of English idioms about food. Read, be surprised and remember! And, of course, order an essay on essaylook.com and you will never have academic problems.
Big Cheese
The meaning of the idiom:
Such an expression is usually used to positively characterize an important influential business person, a large boss or a businessman widely known in the business community.
The history of the idiom:
The British version of the expression origin refers to the famous dictionary of Anglo-Indian expressions of orientalists Henry Julia and Arthur Burnell. The dictionary was published in 1886. It contained various expressions and words, consisting mainly of a mixture of English and Hindi, as well as a few dozen languages. One such word was "chiz", meaning "thing" and used to refer to something genius or positive. At the same time, the expression "real thing" was popular in London, which was used for a positive characterization of a person. Within a few months after the release of the dictionary (apparently, the book was very popular), these two expressions merged into "real chiz", and then into "the real cheese", which was closer to the British. And already in the XX century, the expression was transformed into "big cheese".
Americans have another version of the origin of the idiom. They believe that the expression appeared after in 1808 President Thomas Jefferson was presented with a giant head of cheese.
Example:
He is really a big cheese in the restaurant sphere.
To Bring Home the Bacon
The meaning of the idiom:
So they say when a person earns his or her living, work allows him or her to earn the daily bread. The expression is also used in a figurative sense, it means that a person has achieved success, all that he or she aspired to.
The history of the idiom:
One of the stories of the origin of the expression says that in the twentieth century, the main food of the working class was bacon – this is the food that any working person could afford. An idiom comes from here: to bring home bacon – to earn one’s daily bread.
Another version is much more interesting and ancient. According to the legend, around 1100 in the city of Great Dunmow in Essex, the church had a strange rule. Every man who honestly admitted that he did not quarrel with his wife for a year and a day, was awarded a large piece of bacon. Not bad practice, maybe it's worth bringing it back to life?
The third version takes us to the 16th century. At that time, the most popular and funny competitions were held: it was necessary to catch a greased piglet. The animal was slippery and fast, so it was not as easy as it seems at first glance. But a lucky person was rewarded with the caught prey – he or she was carrying the bacon home.
Example:
It's time to change work, this one does not give me the opportunity to bring home the bacon.
A Piece of Cake
The meaning of the idiom:
Such an expression characterizes some action that can be performed easily, with little or no effort.
The history of the idiom:
There are several versions of the origin of this idiom, but the following seems most plausible. The slave-owners were very fond of amusing themselves. To do this, different assignments were given to their slaves. In particular, they organized competitions with cakes. It looked like this: a couple of people had to carry a cake while dancing and imitating manners of gentlemen. The slave-owners were very happy to watch this and the winning couple received a cake. Such entertainment was much more attractive for slaves than hard work, besides, everyone had the opportunity to win a cake.
Example:
I have a diploma in marketing, so developing a strategy for me is a piece of cake.
To Be as Cool as a Cucumber
The meaning of the idiom:
Such an expression characterizes a calm person who, in a nervous environment, is able to remain cold-blooded.
The history of the idiom:
This expression is very simple. Cucumber is a vegetable that practically does not heat up on the sun even on the hottest days, after all, as a rule, all cucumbers "hide" under broad leaves of a plant. Moreover, even if a cucumber was in the sun, the temperature inside it will remain quite low: in summer, the temperature difference between the outside and inside a cucumber can reach 15 degrees! Apparently, therefore, a person who got into a "hot" tense situation is called a "cool cucumber".
Example:
Just look at her! Anyone else in her place would have gone mad, and she is as cool as a cucumber.
To Be Full of Beans
The meaning of the idiom:
The expression is used to describe a cheerful energetic person. In the UK, this expression is positive, but in America, it is increasingly used in a different sense: it's the kind of a person who talks nonsense.
The history of the idiom:
Previously, chemical additives to accelerate the growth of animals and the set of muscle mass did not exist. In those happy times, people added beans to the horses’ forage so that an animal grew strong and healthy. Beans contain protein and trace elements, thanks to which horses quickly gained muscle mass, were healthy and energetic. Apparently, therefore, people filled with energy are called "full of beans".
Another version of the origin of the idiom says that beans meant coffee beans. Coffee is a drink that invigorates, energizes us from the very morning for the whole day. Therefore, a quick-moving person was associated with someone filled with these same beans.
Example:
How can a human be so full of beans in the very morning? It's just fantastic.
To Be as Hungry as a Bear
The meaning of the idiom:
So they say about a very hungry person.
The history of the idiom:
Why a bear? Not a wolf, not some raccoon or beaver? All is explained simply. Bears fall into a hibernation, and when they wake up in the spring, they experience severe hunger. At this time, they are the most dangerous predators and one of the best hunters. A hungry bear can even attack a person in search of food. Apparently, because of such wild desire of the animal to eat, there was a comparison of a hungry human with a bear.
Example:
She always eats. She is always hungry like a bear.
To Be as Slow as Molasses in January
The meaning of the idiom:
Americans use this expression to describe a slow person or action.
The history of the idiom:
Molasses is a black substance, a viscous sweet by-product of sugar production. Who would have thought that this seemingly harmless (and even useful) substance could provoke a real catastrophe? January 15, 1919, a tragedy occurred in Boston: a giant wave of molasses took place throughout the city. As it turned out, at this time, the weather was too warm for the winter. There was a chemical reaction, and a huge tank filled to the limit exploded. Fourteen tons of molasses swept through the city with a huge wave, destroying houses and killing people on the street. However, why did molasses become a nominal name for something slow? As some experts believe, the molasses that were poured out were too thick and sticky, "slow". If this substance were more liquid, some victims, perhaps, could get out of it and survive.
Example:
Why cannot you work faster? You are constantly distracted and in general, you are as slow as molasses in January.
To Buy a Lemon
The meaning of the idiom:
So they say about a useless acquisition, about purchase of goods of poor quality or unsuitable for parameters.
The history of the idiom:
The first version of the origin of this idiom refers to the beginning of the XX century. Then in America, a loser was called with the slang word "lemon". A little later, this word began to be used for cars of poor quality or non-standard equipment – it was very difficult to pick up spare parts to such machines, and an owner began to regret buying it at the first breakdown.
The second version is directly related to the fruit: the lemon has a very sour taste. After you eat at least a slice of lemon, you will have a sour aftertaste in your mouth. And after buying a useless or bad thing, you may also have an unpleasant "aftertaste". So this idiom appeared.
Example:
Did you buy this vase in that antique store? Congratulations, you bought a lemon.
Chew the Fat
The meaning of the idiom:
This unpleasant expression is used when talking about a gossip human who likes to dish the dirt about people around.
The history of the idiom:
This expression was presented to us by seafarers. In the XVII-XVIII centuries, during long travels, each ship was loaded with huge food reserves, most of which was a long-term storage dish – salted fat. Good perishable food quickly ended, and until the end of the voyage, the whole team was forced to eat fat. If in the early days it seemed normal food, then after a while, the monotonous food seemed disgusting. But there was no way out – you had to "chew the fat". It is because of the analogy of disgusting food and no less disgusting gossip that this idiom has arisen.
Example:
Do not dare tell them anything! They will spread this information everywhere; do you not know that they are always chewing the fat?
We hope that you have filled your brain with new knowledge and remember useful and interesting idioms about food in English.
any idioms about food? If not, then it is time to fill this gap in your knowledge.