Idioms-food Flashcards
. (have a) bun in the oven
be pregnant
bad egg
a person who is often in trouble
I don’t want my little brother hanging around with thebad eggson the street.
big cheese
very important person (VIP)
I thought I was just going to interview the secretary, but they let me talk to thebig cheesehimself.
bread and butter
necessities, the main thing
Just explain thebread and butterof your report. You don’t have to go into details.
bring home the bacon
earn the income
My husband has had tobring home the baconever since I broke my leg.
butter someone up
be extra nice to someone (usually for selfish reasons)
We’ll have tobutterAngieupbefore we tell her the news about the broken vase.
(have one’s) cake and eat it too
want more than your fair share or need
Rick wants tohave his cake and eat it too. He wants to be single but he doesn’t want me to date anyone else.
. carrot top
person with red or orange hair
cheesy
silly
I love readingcheesyromance novels because I don’t have to think.
cool as a cucumber
cool as a cucumber
I thought I was afraid of flying, but I wascool as a cucumberall the way to England.
cream of the crop
the best
We hired thecream of the cropto entertain us at the Christmas party.
(don’t) cry over spilled milk
get upset over something that has happened and cannot be changed
The mirror is broken and we can’t fix it. There’s no need tocry over spilled milk.
cup of joe
cup of coffee
Let’s stop for acup of joebefore we head to work.
egg someone on
urge someone to do something
freeze one’s buns off
be very cold
Ifroze my buns offat the ice rink.
full of beans
have a lot of (silly) energy
The kids werefull of beansafter the circus.
gravy train
extremely good pay for minimal work
The unionized grocers have been enjoying thegravy trainfor twenty years.
(have something) handed to someone on a silver platter
receive without working for something
The professor’s daughter had her college diplomahanded to her on a silver platter.
hard nut to crack
a problem that is very difficult to solve or a person who is very difficult to understand.
Angelo is ahard nut to crackwhen something is bothering him like this.
hot potato
a controversial or difficult subject
Choosing a location for our new store is ahot potatoright now.
. in a nutshell
สั้นๆ
Briefly
In a nutshell, I’m having a bad day.
nuts about something, someone
like a lot
I’mnuts aboutclassical music these days.
out to lunch
Too strange or confused to know what is really happening.
Harry has beenout to lunchever since he lost his job.
one smart cookie
a very intelligent person
Your daughter isone smart cookie. She reads much higher than her grade level.
peach fuzz
small amount of hair growth
Except for a bit ofpeach fuzz, the baby came out bald.
put all of ones eggs in one basket
rely on one single thing
Even though I’m majoring in Art, I’m taking a maths course because my Dad says I shouldn’tput all of my eggs in one basket.
souped up
made more powerful or stylish
The car wassouped upwith shiny rims and a loud stereo.
sell like hot cakes
bought by many people
spice things up
make something more exciting
spill the beans
reveal the truth
take something with a pinch (grain) of salt
don’t consider something 100% accurate
Take Mandy’s advice witha pinch of salt. She doesn’t always do her research.
use your noodle
use your brain
