Z Score,T Score, Percential Rank and Box Plot Graph
Cliche BG food idioms
1. 1
List of Food Idioms and Sayings in English
(A) Baker’s Dozen
(A) Hard/Tough Nut to Crack
(Have) Egg on One’s Face
(Put) All One’s Eggs In One Basket
(Take It with a) Grain of Salt
(The) Icing on the Cake
(To Be on the) Gravy Train
(To Have) Bigger Fish To Fry
A Few Sandwiches Short Of A Picnic
A lot on one’s plate
Above The Salt
Acknowledge The Corn
Acquired Taste
All Sizzle And No Steak
All The Tea In China
Apple of One’s Eye
Bad Egg
Bar Fly (or Barfly)
Best (Greatest) Thing Since Sliced Bread
Big Cheese
Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
Bottom of the Barrel
Bring Home the Bacon
Carrot-and-Stick (Approach)
Cherry-Pick
Chew the Fat
Cook Someone’s Goose
Couch Potato
Cry over Spilt (USA: Spilled) Milk
Cut the Mustard
Eat Humble Pie
Eat Someone’s Lunch
Food for thought
From Scratch
From Soup to Nuts
Hard nut to crack
Have a Lot on One’s Plate
Have bigger fish to fry
Have egg on your face
Have One’s Cake and Eat It, Too
Be like chalk and cheese
Hit the Spot
Hot Potato
In a Nutshell
In a Pickle
Like Two Peas in a Pod
Low-Hanging Fruit
Not Mince Words
2. 2
Nutty as a fruitcake
Pie in the sky
Piece of Cake
Piping Hot
Pour (Rub) Salt into (on) the Wound (an open wound)
Read the Tea Leaves
Red Meat
Rotten to the Core
Sell Like Hotcakes
Simmer Down
Slower than molasses
Small Potatoes
Sour Grapes
Spill the Beans
Take something with a pinch (grain) of salt
Take the Cake
The Whole Enchilada
There’s No Such Thing as a Free Lunch
Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth
Tough cookie
Wake Up and Smell the Coffee
Walk on Eggshells
Watering Hole
You Can’t Make an Omelet (Omelette) Without Breaking Some Eggs
Food Idioms with Meaning and Examples
Food Idioms
(A) Baker’s Dozen
Meaning: Thirteen
Example: Your order of a dozen doughnuts is ready. We’ll throw in one more to make it a
baker’s dozen.
(A) Hard/Tough Nut to Crack
Meaning: A difficult problem
Example: The problem of how to motivate employees can be a tough nut to crack sometimes.
(Have) Egg on One’s Face
Meaning: Be embarrassed, feel foolish
Example: Fred had egg on his face after claiming he could climb the tree but then having to
give up.
(Put) All One’s Eggs In One Basket
Meaning: Rely on a specific course of events
Example: If we depend on a rise in the price of oil, we’re putting all our eggs in one basket.
What if it falls?
Note: Generally used with “put,” as in the example.
(Take It with a) Grain of Salt
Meaning: Be skeptical of a statement
Example: James will tell you all about his adventures in Africa, but take it with a grain of
salt.
(The) Icing on the Cake
Meaning: A bonus; something that makes a good situation even better
Example: My new girlfriend is very intelligent. That she’s beautiful is just icing on the cake!
(To Be on the) Gravy Train
3. 3
Meaning: To make an easy living, to benefit easily from one’s association with something
that brings profits
Example: Ever since her company’s stock split, Rita’s been on the gravy train – she was
given stock as a benefit.
Note: This expression probably originates from the language of railroad hoboes.
(To Have) Bigger Fish To Fry
Meaning: To have more important things to do
Example: I can’t help you with your presentation right now. I have bigger fish to fry.
Food Idioms (A)
List of food idioms and sayings that start with A.
A Few Sandwiches Short Of A Picnic
Meaning: Abnormally stupid, not really sane
Example: Sometimes I think John’s a few sandwiches short of a picnic. He never seems to
understand directions.
A lot on one’s plate
Meaning: A lot to do
Example: I just have a lot on my plate right now while I’m finishing up my degree and doing
this huge project for work.
Above The Salt
Meaning: Of high standing or honor.
Example: We’ll seat you at the head table-not next to the president, but definitely above the
salt.
Note: Very old-fashioned
Acknowledge The Corn
Meaning: Admit to a mistake, especially a small one; point out one’s own shortcomings, or
another’s
Example: OK, I’ll acknowledge the corn. I took the candy bars from the kitchen table.
Acquired Taste
Meaning: Something one learns to appreciate only after trying it repeatedly
Example: Asparagus is an acquired taste. I hated it as a child, but now I love it.
All Sizzle And No Steak
Meaning: Failing to live up to advance promotion or reputation
Example: Some people feel the Apple Watch is all sizzle and no steak.
All The Tea In China
Meaning: Great wealth, a large payment
Example: I wouldn’t go out with him for all the tea in China!
Apple of One’s Eye
Meaning: A favorite person or thing, a person especially valued by someone
Example: Edward has only one child, and she’s the apple of his eye.
Food Idioms (B)
List of food idioms and sayings that start with B.
Bad Egg
Meaning: Someone who is not to be trusted
Example: James is a bad egg. Don’t trust him.
Note: This is much less common than its affectionate opposite, “good egg.”
Bar Fly (or Barfly)
Meaning: Someone who spends much of his or her time in bars
4. 4
Example: The place was filled with barflies and other assorted creatures of the night.
Best (Greatest) Thing Since Sliced Bread
Meaning: An innovative development
Example: Have you tried the new iPhone? It’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Big Cheese
Meaning: An important person in a company or organization
Example: Let’s all be on our best behavior today. The big cheese (the president) will be
visiting the office.
Bite Off More Than You Can Chew
Meaning: Try to do more than one is capable of doig
Example: That’s a huge lawn. Are you sure you can finish mowing it today? Don’t bite off
more than you can chew.
Bottom of the Barrel
Meaning: Low-quality choices
Example: Our top five candidates for the job have all turned us down. We’re really getting
down to the bottom of the barrel here-maybe we should place a new ad.
Be like chalk and cheese
Meaning: Things or people who are very different and have nothing in common
Example: The hotels here and in Russia are like chalk and cheese – you’ll find much better
service here.
Bring Home the Bacon
Meaning: Earn money for one’s family
Example: I can’t complain about my husband. He may not be the world’s most glamorous
guy, but he brings home the bacon.
Food Idioms (C)
List of food idioms and sayings that start with C.
Carrot-and-Stick (Approach)
Meaning: A tactic in which rewards are offered, but there is also the threat of punishment
Example: The boss is using a carrot-and-stick approach-if we meet the sales target, we’ll get
raises, but if we don’t, he’ll cut vacation time.
Cherry-Pick
Meaning: To present evidence selectively to one’s own advantage
Example: The president was accused of cherry-picking research to justify her programs.
Chew the Fat
Meaning: Chat for a considerable length of time
Example: We’re not doing much – just chewing the fat and having a few beers. Why don’t
you come over?
Cook Someone’s Goose
Meaning: To insure someone’s defeat, to frustrate someone’s plans
Example: Let’s steal one of the spark plugs from Don’s car. That’ll cook his goose!
Couch Potato
Meaning: A lazy person who watches a great deal of television
Example: Mark is a couch potato. I can’t remember the last time he left his apartment except
to go to work.
Cry over Spilt (USA: Spilled) Milk
Meaning: To waste energy moaning about something that has already happened
Example: The money is gone. Don’t cry over spilt milk – there will be new opportunities.
Cut the Mustard
Meaning: Do something adequately
5. 5
Example: I don’t think I’m too old to cut the mustard. If you give me a chance, I’m sure I can
do the job well.
Food Idioms (E)
List of food idioms and sayings that start with E.
Eat Humble Pie
Meaning: To admit defeat or error, to accept humiliation
Example: The coach was forced to eat humble pie after confidently projecting victory.
Note: This is also used in the USA but is less common.
Eat Someone’s Lunch
Meaning: Defeat someone thoroughly
Example: China is systematically teaching people to speak African languages, but very few
Americans can speak them. When it comes to trade with Africa, they’re going to eat
America’s lunch.
Food Idioms (F)
List of food idioms and sayings that start with F.
Food for thought
Meaning: Something that makes you think carefully
Example: The teacher’s advice certainly gave me food for thought.
From Scratch
Meaning: From individual ingredients, not using a prepared mix
Example: I’m looking forward to tonight – my girlfriend is baking me a cake from
scratch for my birthday.
From Soup to Nuts
Meaning: Everything; from beginning to end
Example: Amazon started out as a bookseller, but now they offer everything from soup to
nuts.
Food Idioms (H)
List of food idioms and sayings that start with H.
Hard nut to crack
Meaning: A difficult problem or a difficult person
Example: This problem is getting me down. It’s a hard nut to crack.
Have a Lot on One’s Plate
Meaning: Be busy, be in the middle of many ongoing tasks
Example: I’ve got a lot on my plate right now, but why don’t we meet next week?
Have bigger fish to fry
Meaning: Have more important things to do
Example: It’s really not worth my time; I’ve got bigger fish to fry!
Have egg on your face
Meaning: They are made to look foolish or embarrassed
Example: The CEO really had egg on his face after he went on stage to demonstrate the new
product and couldn’t get it to work right.
Have One’s Cake and Eat It, Too
Meaning: To want two incompatible things (usually used in the negative)
Example: If you want lower taxes, you have to expect problems in school funding-you
can’t have your cake and eat it too.
Hit the Spot
Meaning: Be very satisfying (said of something eaten)
6. 6
Example: We went to Mark’s Midtown for lunch. I had a grilled chicken sandwich, and it
really hit the spot.
Hot Potato
Meaning: A controversial subject or difficult project that is best avoided
Example: Tax increases will be a hot potato in this election, and most candidates will try to
avoid taking a stand on them even if they think they’re necessary.
Note: This is often used in political contexts.
Food Idioms (I)
List of food idioms and sayings that start with I.
In a Nutshell
Meaning: Expressed in a few words
Example: You should apply to the university now. There are lots of reasons, but in a
nutshell, it will end up costing you more if you wait.
In a Pickle
Meaning: In need of help, in a difficult spot
Example: I’m really in a pickle. I spent all the money I had saved, and I have no way to pay
next semester’s tuition bill.
Food Idioms (L)
List of food idioms and sayings that start with L.
Like Two Peas in a Pod
Meaning: Bearing a strong resemblance
Example: Hallie and Maria aren’t related, but they’re so similar – like two peas in a pod.
Low-Hanging Fruit
Meaning: Easy parts of a task; solutions easy to obtain
Example: It’s easy to solve those puzzles – they’re low-hanging fruit. But the Sunday puzzle
is much more difficult.
Food Idioms (N)
List of food idioms and sayings that start with N.
Not Mince Words
Meaning: Moderate or weaken a statement
Example: The boss didn’t mince words in my performance evaluation. She said if I didn’t
improve, I’d be fired.
Nutty as a fruitcake
Meaning: Crazy; idiotic; wacky.
Example: The kids are always nutty as fruitcakes when they’ve had something sugary to eat.
Food Idioms (P)
List of food idioms and sayings that start with P.
Pie in the sky
Meaning: Something that is unrealistic or that cannot be achieved
Example: He keeps talking about how he’ll move to Los Angeles to be a famous actor, but it’s
just pie in the sky if you ask me.
Piece of Cake
Meaning: Very easily done
Example: I’ve already done the difficult parts – finishing the presentation tonight will be
a piece of cake.
Piping Hot
Meaning: Very hot (generally said of food)
7. 7
Example: Nothing tastes better than fresh cinnamon rolls, served piping hot.
Pour (Rub) Salt into (on) the Wound (an open wound)
Meaning: Worsen an insult or injury; make a bad situation worse for someone
Example: Breaking up with George was bad enough, but seeing him out with Carla
just poured salt into an open wound.
Food Idioms (R)
List of food idioms and sayings that start with R.
Read the Tea Leaves
Meaning: Predict the future from small signs
Example: Everyone says things are going great for our company, but if you read the tea
leaves you’ll see trouble ahead.
Note: This comes from the practice of fortune-telling by examining the patterns of tea leaves
in the bottom of a cup.
Red Meat
Meaning: Political appeals designed to excite one’s core supporters; demagoguery
Example: The candidate threw red meat to the base, blaming immigrants for the country’s
problems.
Note: This is often used in the phrase “throw red meat to the base,” as in the example.
Rotten to the Core
Meaning: Entirely evil
Example: Sam is rotten to the core. He steals, he lies, he’s violent. I’m glad he’s in prison.
Food Idioms (S)
List of food idioms and sayings that start with S.
Sell Like Hotcakes
Meaning: Be sold very quickly
Example: The new Honda is expected to sell like hotcakes after it’s released.
Simmer Down
Meaning: Become less angry; regain one’s composure
Example: Simmer down. I won’t discuss this while you’re yelling at me.
Slower than molasses
Meaning: Exceptionally slow or sluggish; not fast at all.
Example: This old laptop my dad gave me is a piece of junk. It’s slower than molasses!
Small Potatoes
Meaning: Unimportant, insignificant
Example: We’re wasting our time on small potatoes. Let’s get to the big news that made us
have this meeting.
Sour Grapes
Meaning: Spiteful disparagment of a goal one has failed to achieve
Example: Since Susan got the job, Francisco has been saying he didn’t want it. But that’s
just sour grapes.
Spill the Beans
Meaning: Reveal a secret
Example: We had planned this to be a surprise party for you, but Jason spilled the beans.
Food Idioms (T)
List of food idioms and sayings that start with T.
Take something with a pinch (grain) of salt
8. 8
Meaning: If you take what someone says with a pinch of salt, you do not completely believe
it.
Example: I heard that you can get a free movie ticket if you wear red, but Kevin toldme that,
so I’m going to take it with a pinch of salt.
Take the Cake
Meaning: Be the most extreme instance
Example: Julie has made some poor choices in men over the years, but this takes the cake.
Note: This is generally used as “this takes the cake” or “that takes the cake,” as in the
example.”
The Whole Enchilada
Meaning: All of something.
Example: No, I don’t want just the basic version of the software. I’ll take it all. Give me the
whole enchilada.
Note: This expression is North American.
There’s No Such Thing as a Free Lunch
Meaning: Nothing is given to you without some expectation of something in return.
Example: There’s no such thing as a free lunch. You’ll have to turn over personal
information, and it’ll cause you trouble later.
Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth
Meaning: A project works best if there is input from a limited number of people
Example: Let’s divide the project staff into small teams. Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Note: Too many cooks in the kitchen is another form. This is a proverb.
Tough cookie
Meaning: A very determined person
Example: Our principal was a little lady, but she was one tough cookie!
Food Idioms (W, Y)
List of food idioms and sayings that start with W & Y.
Wake Up and Smell the Coffee
Meaning: Stop deluding yourself
Example: Emily, your boyfriend has been seen out with three different women just this week.
You need to wake up and smell the coffee.
Walk on Eggshells
Meaning: To have to act very sensitively in order to avoid offending someone
Example: I’m always walking on eggshells when I meet with Tim. He has good ideas, but he
gets angry so easily.
Watering Hole
Meaning: A place where alcoholic beverages are served, a bar
Example: Watering holes in New York City range from simple taverns serving a shot and a
beer to spectacular skyscraper bars with 360-degree views and elaborate craft cocktails.
You Can’t Make an Omelet (Omelette) Without Breaking Some Eggs
Meaning: Achieving a major goal requires the ability to tolerate some problems
Example: The staff is arguing over the workload, but we have to continue. You can’t make
an omelet without breaking some eggs.