Food metaphor idioms Flashcards
Remember the meanings of idioms based on food metaphors. (Idioms connected with consuming food included)
Rotten apple
Someone who spoils everyone around him (f.e. a student who behaves so badly that the whole class starts imitating him)
Sweet tooth
Someone who loves sweet taste
Food for thought/sth to digest
An idea you have to process. Usually means you don`t have to answer immediately.
Big cheese
Someone who tries to seem very important
Tough cookie
Someone who is not easy to give up
Couch potato
A lazy person who prefers being indoors
Pickle
An unpleasant problem which requires thinking to solve
Apples and oranges
Absolutely different things which cannot be compaired
Bite off more than one can chew
Be overambitious, start sth one cannot finish
Taste one`s own medicine
Used as the advice to try your solution first on yourself, then suggest to others. Implies that your solution might be unpleasant and/or cause even more problems.
Piece of cake
A very easy and probably even pleasant thing to do
Lemon tree
The root to all the problems. Used as a warning that nothing good can possibly come from it.
Cup of tea
A thing one is very good at (f.e. math is not my cup of tea)
(With) a grain of salt
Means sth shouldnt be taken seriously and/or believed in. (His words youd better take with a grain of salt)
A hot potato
A thing very unpleasant to deal with, so that everyone is trying to give it out to someone else as soon as possible
Like two pies in a pod
Very alike
Spill the beans
Reveal a secret
Have one`s cake and eat it too
Not only have a privilege, but also exercise it/have two pleasant things at the same time
Other fish in the sea
Used as a reminder that ones ex partner is not the only one and it is easy to find new relationship. (Theres plenty of other fish in the sea)
Eye candy
Sth very pleasant to look at
Cry over spilled milk
Get upset about sth that one cannot change (f.e. a lost job, wasted money)
Plum job
Very good job, usually interesting and very well-paid one
Beer gut
A seeable fat belly which is supposed to originate from consuming much beer
Go bananas/nuts
Become crazy, usually when having fun
Icing on the cake
A pleasant addition to sth pleasant one has (f.e. high salary for a very interesting job)
On the house
Means that the place you are in will pay for that, so you don`t have to. (Beer is on the house)
Up for grabs
Means that you are welcome to take it coz the owner is ready to share. (Chips are up for grabs)
Baloney
A euphimist for bullshit - not true, nonsence
The world is your oyster
You can do anything, all the ways are open for you.
Be in hot water
Be in trouble, in an uncomfortable situation, especially socially
Cheesy
Too sentimental and cliche (f.e. cheesy love song)
Fishy
Looking suspicious (f.e. fishy job offer)
