Food and Drink Idioms

Apple Beer Biscuit Butter Cake Chips Chocolate Eggs

Fat Milk Mustard Pear Pie Potato Punch Salt
Sausage Tea Water

Insert the words from above into the most appropriate sentences below.

1) I’m going to have to eat humble _______ and tell them I was wrong. (To apologise
in humiliating circumstances)

2) When her son left home she was very sad. He was always the _________ of
her eye. (Loved very much)
3) After dinner, my grandfather and Uncle Bob sat on the porch and chewed the
________ for a while. (Chatted)
4) I bought this PC a week ago but I’m thinking of taking it back to the shop. It just
doesn’t cut the ___________. (Doesn’t meet the required standard)
5) We have spent all of our money. When I checked the bank account there
wasn’t a ___________. (Nothing left)
6) Tracy is trying to __________ up her father because she wants to go to the
concert on Friday. (Be very nice to)
7) The subject of immigration is always a hot ____________ in politics.
(Controversial)

8) That holiday was as cheap as _______________. (Very economical)

9) The project has gone __________-shaped and we need to start again. (Not go
according to plan)

10) It’s better to take what he says with a pinch of _________. He’s not the most
honest man in the world and if he does tell you the truth, he normally exaggerates everything out
of all proportion. (Be sceptical, not believe it all)

11) The exam was a piece of ___________. I don’t think anybody failed. (Very easy)
12) I’ve lost my wallet I’m afraid but there’s no use in crying over spilt
____________. I’ll cancel my bank cards and wait until they send me some new
ones before I go for a night out or buy anything. (Not get upset)
13) When he took my girlfriend away from me I didn’t mind. When he got
promoted before me it wasn’t a problem. What really took the ____________ was
when he borrowed my Lady Gaga CD and didn’t give it back!
(He crossed the line and it was too much to take)

14) This PC I bought is no good whatsoever. It takes forever to connect to the

internet and the hard disk is only 250MB. It’s as useful as a ____________
teapot. (Completely useless)
15) We need to expand the business and stop relying so much on the tourists to

Follow up!
Now write five sentences using the expressions from above:
e.g. This book is the best thing since sliced bread. etc.
 Food Idioms: Origins Quiz
1) What is the origin of the expression “to eat humble pie?”
a) In the mid-18th century, during a particularly horrible economic recession, many people would have to go out and beg for money in
the street. As there wasn’t much money around, it was very difficult for the beggars who would often return to wherever they were
living with empty stomachs. Some of these beggars would stand outside church and “hum” the songs that they had heard inside
because they didn’t know the words. As such, a play on words ensued, “hum” was replaced by “humble” and if they managed to get
enough to buy a pie to eat, they would be said to be eating ”humble pie.”
b) The expression comes from “umble pie” which in turn comes from the French word “nomble” and relates to parts of animals that
are less desirable to eat; in other words offal. This would be the stomach, ears, nose and similar bits. In the middle ages, the poorer
members of society would eat this while the upper classes would eat better quality meat pies. If somebody from the upper classes
had to go and speak to someone from more “humble” backgrounds, they would have to share their food, hence the expression.
c) The expression refers to feet rather than pies and is taken from Spanish. English prisoners of war during the 16 th century who
were captured by the Spanish were told never to look into the face of their Spanish guards. There would be a sign in mixed English
and Spanish in the prison camps telling the prisoners to look at their feet (pies in Spanish) and to be more humble. The English
pronounced the Spanish words the same way as the English word, hence the expression.

2) What is the origin of the expression “the apple of his/her eye”

a) In mediaeval England, village fairs were very common and mixed the Christian religion with the country’s pagan past. An old
tradition was for young unmarried men or women to be given to each other in competitions. One of the competitions was very brutal
and involved throwing apples at a single person who would be sat above a large tank of water. Other young single people would try
and hit the head of the person sat in the chair with an apple. If the person in the chair had their eyes bruised by the apple they would
be said to have met the “apple of their eye.”
b) This expression comes from East London and the local dialect known as Cockney Rhyming Slang. Eye rhymes with pie, as in
apple pie. Many years ago, before ice cream and crisps, apple pie was seen as the best possible thing to eat. If somebody was said
to be like apple pie, they were said to be the best thing there is. In cockney rhyming slang, the eye was exchanged for pie.
c) The expression refers to a passage in the Bible and the story of Jacob and how he was looked after by God while he was in the
desert and in great danger. The expression is used because people would compare the pupil of the eye to an apple and if somebody
was watching a person to see that they came to no harm, they would be in the apple, in other words, the pupil, of that person’s eye.
As such, this indicated that the person watching cared very much for the person being watched.

3) What is the origin of the expression “to chew the fat?”

a) This comes from the Industrial Revolution. In some factories in the late 18 th century, it was forbidden to talk although workers
were allowed to eat at their machines as food breaks were also forbidden. When having a conversation, the workers would pretend
to be eating and if asked by their supervisors if they were talking they would say that they were only “chewing the fat.”
b) This is about the food that sailors would eat on long voyages in the days of sailing boats. Salted fat would be stored on boats for
these long voyages because it would not go rotten. This salted fat would get quite hard and chewing it would take a long time. When
sitting down to eat this food, the sailors would engage in idle conversation while trying to chew this unusually hard fat.
c) This refers to religious diets in England in the 12th century. Just before Easter, the church would forbid the eating of meat except
leftover fat from previous meals. Talking was also forbidden during the day. There was nothing else to eat during the three days of
Easter. When the sun went down, people would gather and eat the fat that had been prepared with spices and sauces and then
everybody would sit down and talk about the day. This was known as “chewing the fat.”

4) What is the origin of the expression “to cut the mustard?”

a) In the UK in the mid-19th century, a Scottish, high ranking officer, called Colonel Mustard, took a regiment of soldiers to
Afghanistan. These soldiers did a lot of fighting in the mountains and were known as tough soldiers. Each soldier would have to
personally fight with the colonel with a sword. If they couldn’t land at least one blow on the colonel, it would be said that they didn’t
“cut the Mustard” and would be sent to another regiment.
b) This expression refers to the harvesting of mustard plants. In Norfolk, in the early 19 th century, mustard farms were big business
and harvesting the plants, although unskilled, was hard work. People who wanted work harvesting mustard plants were shown how
to cut the plant, which was hard and fibrous, with a billhook (a circular knife) and were then given 10 minutes to show just how much
they could collect. If they could “cut the mustard,” they were given a job.
c) This expression comes from the practice of making hot and spicy food for long voyages from India in the late 18 th century. The
cooks on these ships were selected for their skills in the kitchens and herbs and spices were very expensive although necessary to
keep the food from going bad. Mustards seeds were crushed with a knife on a wooden board and then collected and put into a pot. If
the cook could not carry out this simple task, he would be given a different duty on board the ship.

5) What is the origin of the expression “not a sausage?”

a) This is an expression that comes from East London and the local dialect known as Cockney Rhyming Slang. In this dialect,
normal words are replaced by words that rhyme with the original word. Cash rhymes with mash, as in sausage and mash (mashed
potatoes and sausages). The word mash is omitted, as is often the case in rhyming slang, and not a sausage means “nothing” or
more specifically, no cash.
Follow up!
Now write five false origins for the expressions from the other
page.
 Answers

1) I’m going to have to eat humble pie and tell them I was wrong. (To apologise in humiliating circumstances)

2) When her son left home she was very sad. He was always the apple of her eye. (Loved very much)

3) After dinner, my grandfather and Uncle Bob sat on the porch and chewed the fat for a while. (Chatted)

4) I bought this PC a week ago but I’m thinking of taking it back to the shop. It just doesn’t cut the mustard.
(Doesn’t meet the required standard)

5) We have spent all of our money. When I checked the bank account there wasn’t a sausage. (Nothing left)

6) Tracy is trying to butter up her father because she wants to go to the concert on Friday. (Be very nice to)

7) The subject of immigration is always a hot potato in politics. (Controversial)

8) That holiday was as cheap as chips. (Very economical)

9) The project has gone pear-shaped and we need to start again. (Not go according to plan)

10) It’s better to take what he says with a pinch of salt. He’s not the most honest man in the world and if he
does tell you the truth, he normally exaggerates everything out of all proportion. (Be sceptical, not believe it all)

11) The exam was a piece of cake. I don’t think anybody failed. (Very easy)

12) I’ve lost my wallet I’m afraid but there’s no use in crying over spilt milk. I’ll cancel my bank cards and wait
until they send me some new ones before I go for a night out or buy anything. (Not get upset)

13) When he took my girlfriend away from me I didn’t mind. When he got promoted before me it wasn’t a
problem. What really took the biscuit was when he borrowed my Lady Gaga CD and didn’t give it back!
(He crossed the line and it was too much to take)

14) This PC I bought is no good whatsoever. It takes forever to connect to the internet and the hard disk is only
250MB. It’s as useful as a chocolate teapot. (Completely useless)

15) We need to expand the business and stop relying so much on the tourists to make our money. We
shouldn’t put all of our eggs in one basket. (Depend too much on one thing)

16) She was as pleased as punch when we told her we were going to get married. (Very happy)

17) Football isn’t really my cup of tea. I prefer to watch motor racing. (Not the preferred choice)

18) I need to start going to the gym. I’m starting to get a bit of a beer belly. (Getting fat around the middle)

20) All this talk of food is making my mouth water. (Making me very hungry)
 Answers

1) What is the origin of the expression “to eat humble pie?”

a) In the mid-18th century, during a particularly horrible economic recession, many people would have to go out and beg for money in
the street. As there wasn’t much money around, it was very difficult for the beggars who would often return to wherever they were
living with empty stomachs. Some of these beggars would stand outside church and “hum” the songs that they had heard inside
because they didn’t know the words. As such, a play on words ensued, “hum” was replaced by “humble” and if they managed to get
enough to by a pie to eat, they would be said to be eating ”humble pie.”
b) The expression comes from “umble pie” which in turn comes from the French word “nomble” and relates to parts of animals that
are less desirable to eat; in other words offal. This would be the stomach, ears, nose and similar bits. In the middle ages, the poorer
members of society would eat this while the upper classes would eat better quality meat pies. If somebody from the upper classes
had to go and speak to someone from more “humble” backgrounds, they would have to share their food, hence the expression.
c) The expression refers to feet rather than pies and is taken from Spanish. English prisoners of war during the 16 th century who
were captured by the Spanish were told never to look into the face of their Spanish guards. There would be a sign in mixed English
and Spanish in the prison camps telling the prisoners to look at their feet (pies in Spanish) and to be more humble. The English
pronounced the Spanish words the same way as the English word, hence the expression.

2) What is the origin of the expression “the apple of his/her eye”

a) In mediaeval England, village fairs were very common and mixed the Christian religion with the country’s pagan past. And old
tradition was for young unmarried men or women to be given to each other in competitions. One of the competitions was very brutal
and involved throwing apples at a single person who would be sat above a large tank of water. Other young single people would try
and hit the head of the person sat in the chair with an apple. If the person in the chair had their eyes bruised by the apple they would
be said to have met the “apple of their eye.”
b) This expression comes from East London and the local dialect known as Cockney Rhyming Slang. Eye rhymes with pie, as in
apple pie. Many years ago, before ice cream and crisps, apple pie was seen as the best possible thing to eat. If somebody was said
to be like apple pie, they were said to be the best thing there is. In cockney rhyming slang, the eye was exchanged for pie.
c) The expression refers to passage in the Bible and the story of Jacob and how he was looked after by God while he was in the
desert and in great danger. The expression is used because people would compare the pupil of the eye to an apple and if somebody
was watching a person to see that they came to no harm, they would be in the apple, in other words, the pupil, of that person’s eye.
As such, this indicated that the person watching cared very much for the person being watched.

3) What is the origin of the expression “to chew the fat?”

a) This comes from the Industrial Revolution. In some factories in the late 18 th century, it was forbidden to talk although workers
were allowed to eat at their machines as food breaks were also forbidden. When having a conversation, the workers would pretend
to be eating and if asked by their supervisors if they were talking they would say that they were only “chewing the fat.”
b) This is about the food that sailors would eat on long voyages in the days of sailing boats. Salted fat would be stored on boats for
these long voyages because it would not go rotten. This salted fat would get quite hard and chewing it would take a long time. When
sitting down to eat this food, the sailors would engage in idle conversation while trying to chew this unusually hard fat.
c) This refers to religious diets in England in the 12th century. Just before Easter, the church would forbid the eating of meat except
leftover fat from previous meals. Talking was also forbidden during the day. There was nothing else to eat during the three days of
Easter. When the sun went down, people would gather and eat the fat that had been prepared with spices and sauces and then
everybody would sit down and talk about the day. This was known as “chewing the fat.”

4) What is the origin of the expression “to cut the mustard?”

a) In the UK in the mid-19th century, a Scottish, high ranking officer, called Colonel Mustard, took a regiment of soldiers to
Afghanistan. These soldiers did a lot of fighting in the mountains and were known as tough soldiers. Each soldier would have to
personally fight with the colonel with a sword. If they couldn’t land at least one blow on the colonel, it would be said that they didn’t
“cut the Mustard” and would be sent to another regiment.
b) This expression refers to the harvesting of mustard plants. In Norfolk, in the early 19 th century, mustard farms were big business
and harvesting the plants, although unskilled, was hard work. People who wanted work harvesting mustard plants were shown how
to cut the plant, which was hard and fibrous, with a billhook (a circular knife) and were then given 10 minutes to show just how much
they could collect. If they could “cut the mustard,” they were given a job.
c) This expression comes from the practice of making hot and spicy food for long voyages from India in the late 18 th century. The
cooks on these ships were selected for their skills in the kitchens and herbs and spices were very expensive although necessary to
keep the food from going bad. Mustards seeds were crushed with a knife on a wooden board and then collected and put into a pot. If
the cook could not carry out this simple task, he would be given a different duty on board the ship.

5) What is the origin of the expression “not a sausage?”

a) This is an expression that comes from East London and the local dialect known as Cockney Rhyming Slang. In this dialect,
normal words are replaced by words that rhyme with the original word. Cash rhymes with mash, as in sausage and mash (mashed
potatoes and sausages). The word mash is omitted, as is often the case in rhyming slang, and not a sausage means “nothing.”
b) This expression refers to the Napoleonic Wars between France and The UK. Captured French POWs would be given British