English with Kirsty – episode 49
Food idioms
You can listen to episode 49 here:
In this episode, I talk about a number of food idioms and explain what they mean.
1. A piece of cake
Something that is, or was, really easy to do.
I worried about the English test all weekend, but it wasn’t difficult at all. It was a piece of cake.
2. To be as cool as a cucumber
This means that someone is really calm or relaxed, particularly when you don’t expect them to be.
I thought my dog wouldn’t like going to the vets for the operation, but he was wagging his tail as he went in. He was as cool as a cucumber!
3. To go bananas
This can mean to get really angry, or it can mean to become excited – depending on the context.
He’s just spent all the savings on a new car. His wife will go bananas when she finds out.
This probably means that she won’t be happy about it!
4. A watched kettle never boils
This means that, if you’re waiting for something to happen, it feels as though time is passing more slowly, and the thing you are waiting for will never happen. We don’t think about how long it takes for the kettle to boil, but if you’re in a hurry and you’re waiting for it, it feels like a long time!
5. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
This means that you shouldn’t depend on one thing or plan to ensure success.
I don’t want to put all my eggs in one basket, so I’m advertising my book on different websites.
6. Eat humble pie
If you have to eat humble pie, it means you have to admit that you were wrong.
7. Fish out of water
If you feel like a fish out of water, you are uncomfortable in a place or situation because you feel that you don’t belong there. For example, this could be because you don’t know how to act, the experience is new for you, or the people around you are different from you.
*8. To take something with a pinch of salt
This is when you don’t really believe something, because you think it isn’t true.
She always exaggerates to make herself look better than she really is. You have to take everything she says with a pinch of salt.
9. To have too much on your plate
This means that you have too much to do or that you are too busy.
10. Like chalk and cheese
Chalk is not something to eat, but cheese is delicious! If two people or things are like chalk and cheese, they are completely different, or complete opposites.
11. The icing on the cake
If something is “the icing on the cake”, it makes a good thing even better.
12. To walk on egg shells
This means that you are trying really hard not to offend or upset someone.
She always takes things the wrong way. I’m tired of walking on eggshells around her.
There was a big argument last week. Now everyone is walking on eggshells because nobody wants to start another argument.
13. to have bigger fish to fry
If you have bigger fish to fry, you have more important things to do or think about. You don’t have time to waste on unimportant things.
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