Food Idioms
An idiom is a phrase or expression that has a figurative meaning different from its literal meaning. Idioms are used in everyday language to convey ideas in a more colorful and imaginative way.
List of Popular Food Idioms
Apple of My Eye: This idiom refers to someone who is cherished above all others. When you call someone the "apple of your eye," you indicate they hold a special place in your heart.
Bad Egg: If someone is referred to as a "bad egg," it means they are often in trouble or not to be trusted. It highlights a negative aspect of a person's character.
Big Cheese: This idiom denotes an important person, often someone with a lot of influence or authority within a group or organization.
Butter Someone Up: To flatter someone excessively to gain their favor or good opinion. This idiom is often used when someone is trying to get something in return.
Cool as a Cucumber: Someone who is "cool as a cucumber" remains very calm and composed, even in stressful situations. It emphasizes a person's ability to stay unflustered.
Dish the Dirt: To "dish the dirt" means to gossip or share secrets about someone. It's often used in contexts where revealing scandalous or interesting information is involved.
Duck Soup: Something very easy to do. This idiom is synonymous with a "piece of cake" and indicates a task that requires little effort.
Egg on Your Face: If you have "egg on your face," it means you are embarrassed, especially after being proven wrong or making a mistake in public.
Full of Beans: When someone is described as "full of beans," they are energetic and lively. This idiom is often used to describe children or very active people.
Gravy Train: The "gravy train" refers to a way of making money quickly and easily, often with little effort. It suggests a very profitable situation with minimal work.
Have Your Cake and Eat It Too: This idiom means wanting everything without any trade-offs. It describes a desire to enjoy two mutually exclusive benefits simultaneously.
Hot Potato: A controversial or difficult issue that no one wants to handle. This idiom describes a topic that people avoid because it is too contentious.
In a Pickle: When you're "in a pickle," you're in a difficult or tricky situation. It implies being in a state of confusion or trouble.
Juicy Gossip: "Juicy gossip" refers to very interesting or scandalous gossip. It usually involves details that are highly intriguing or sensational.
Lemon: Calling something a "lemon" means it is defective or unsatisfactory, often used in the context of a poorly functioning product, particularly a car.
Meat and Potatoes: The most important or basic parts of something. This idiom is often used in business to refer to the fundamental aspects of a project or plan.
Nutty as a Fruitcake: Describing someone as "nutty as a fruitcake" means they are crazy or eccentric. It highlights odd or unconventional behavior.
Piece of Cake: When something is a "piece of cake," it is very easy to do. This idiom is used to describe tasks that require little effort.
Sour Grapes: Pretending to dislike something you cannot have. This idiom is derived from Aesop's fable "The Fox and the Grapes" and describes a situation where someone feigns disdain for something unattainable.
Spill the Beans: To "spill the beans" means to reveal a secret, often accidentally or without intending to. It indicates the act of disclosing confidential information.
The Icing on the Cake: An additional benefit to something that is already good. This idiom suggests an extra, pleasant bonus to an already positive situation.
Tough Cookie: A "tough cookie" is a strong, resilient person. This idiom underscores someone's ability to handle difficult situations with determination and strength.
Under the Table: Done secretly, usually because it is illegal or unethical. This idiom is often used to describe clandestine or illicit activities, especially in business.
You Are What You Eat: This idiom suggests that your diet reflects your health and well-being. It implies that eating healthy foods will result in a healthier body.