'Food' idioms
in apple-pie order: very well organized; in very good
order (informal). Her desk is so neat; everything's always in apple-pie
order.
bring home the bacon: to earn a salary (informal). I
need to get a job; now I'm the one who has to bring home the bacon.
full of beans: full of nonsense; talking nonsense
(slang). Don't pay any attention to what Frank says; he ~ full of
beans.
not know beans (about something): to know nothing about
something (slang). Sam doesn't know beans about using a computer.
not worth a hill of beans: worthless (informal). Their
advice isn't worth a hill of beans.
spill the beans: to reveal a secret or a surprise by accident
(cliche). We wanted the party to be a surprise, but William spilled the
beans and spoiled it.
beef something up: to make something stronger (informal
or slang). We should beef up the program by adding an advanced
course.
bread and butter: (a person's) livelihood or income. I
don't especially like doing this job, but it's my bread and butter.
know which side one's bread is buttered on: to know what
is most advantageous for one (cliche). Richard will do anything to please
the boss; he knows which side his bread is buttered on.
too many cooks spoil the soup/broth/stew: a proverb
meaning that too many people trying to manage something simply spoil it.
Several people were trying to manage that program, and it didn't turn out
well. I guess too many cooks spoiled the Soap.
chew the fat: to chat informally with close friends
(slang). We didn't get much done this morning. An old friend came by, and
we spent a lot of time chewing the fat.
the fat is in the fire: a proverb meaning that serious
trouble has broken out. The boss found out that the reports weren't turned
in on time. Now the fat's in the fire!
half a loaf is better than none: a proverb meaning that having part
of something is better than having nothing. I was hoping they would pay me
more than that, but at least I have a job now; I guess hall a loaf is
better than none.
know one's onions: to have a good knowledge about something one is
supposed to know (informal or slang). I think Mary will do a good job; she
really knows her onions.
salt something away: to store something future use
(originally referred to preserving and storing it). Mr. Smith is saving
money to use after he retires from work; he salts away S50 every
week.
worth one's salt: worth one's salary. Any worker worth
his salt would do a better job than that.
in a stew (about someone or something): bothered or upset
about someone or something (informal). What's Bill in a stew about this
morning? Did the boss find mistakes in his work again?
out of the frying pan into the fire: from a bad situation
to a worse situation (cliche). Kim's situation is bad enough now, but if he
quits his job, he'll go from the frying pan into the fire.
have other fish to fry: to have other, or more important,
things to do. I just can't be bothered dealing with these details; I have
other fish to fry.
hash something over: to discuss something in great detail
(informal). We've already talked about that matter several times; there's
no point in hashing it all over again.
fine kettle of fish: a mess; a very unsatisfactory
situation (cliche). Our guests would arrive at any minute and all the
electricity had gone off; that was a fine kettle of fish!
the pot calling the kettle black: (an instance of) someone with a
fault accusing someone else of having the same fault (cliche). How can lira
accuse Lisa of laziness? That's the pot calling the kettle black.
simmer down: to become calmer and quieter (informal).
Things have been so hectic here this week; we hope they'll simmer down
after the holidays.