Understanding Food And Kitchen Idioms, Sayings, Phrases, And Expressions

Food and kitchen idioms have a way of spicing up our conversations, adding flavor and richness to our words that’s both memorable and meaningful.

Here, you’re about to dig into a collection of food and kitchen idioms, each packed with its own unique flavor, fascinating origin, synonyms, and example sentences.

Whether you’re curious about phrases like “spill the beans” or want to understand what it means to be “in a pickle,” this guide is your recipe for a more colorful and engaging vocabulary.

Perfect for language lovers, writers, or anyone looking to sprinkle some zest into their conversations, our collection of food and kitchen idioms will season your speech with vibrant imagery and depth.

Get ready to feast on the world of food and kitchen idioms, and uncover the delicious stories behind these expressions that keep our language full of flavor and creativity!

Common Food & Kitchen Idioms & Expressions – Meaning, Origin, and Example Sentence

Piece Of Cake

Synonym: Easy task
Meaning: Something that is very easy to do
Origin: This idiom likely originates from the early 20th century, where winning a cake was often a prize for easy tasks at fairs and contests.
Example Sentence: The math test was a piece of cake; I finished it in no time.

Spill The Beans

Synonym: Reveal a secret
Meaning: To disclose confidential information or secrets
Origin: This idiom is believed to have come from ancient Greek voting practices, where beans were used to cast votes. Spilling them prematurely could reveal the outcome before the official count.
Example Sentence: I told her not to spill the beans about the surprise party, but she couldn’t keep it to herself.

Butter Someone Up

Synonym: Flatter
Meaning: To praise or flatter someone in hopes of gaining favor
Origin: This idiom dates back to ancient India, where people would throw butterballs at statues of gods in the hope of gaining their favor.
Example Sentence: She tried to butter up her boss before asking for a raise.

Cool As A Cucumber

Synonym: Calm
Meaning: To remain calm and composed, especially in stressful situations
Origin: This idiom originates from the fact that cucumbers have a cooling effect and stay cool even in hot weather, symbolizing calmness.
Example Sentence: Despite the chaos, he remained cool as a cucumber during the meeting.

Go Bananas

Synonym: Go crazy
Meaning: To become extremely excited or enthusiastic
Origin: The exact origin is unclear, but the phrase became popular in the 1960s, possibly influenced by monkeys’ fondness for bananas, symbolizing wild behavior.
Example Sentence: The fans went bananas when their team won the championship.

In A Pickle

Synonym: In trouble
Meaning: To be in a difficult or problematic situation
Origin: This idiom dates back to the 16th century, with “pickle” referring to a messy or unpleasant situation, similar to being mixed up in a jar of pickles.
Example Sentence: He found himself in a pickle when he forgot his wallet at the restaurant.

Bring Home The Bacon

Synonym: Earn money
Meaning: To earn a living or provide financial support
Origin: This idiom is thought to come from a medieval English tradition where bacon was given as a prize to a man who could swear before the church that he had not argued with his wife for a year.
Example Sentence: She works hard every day to bring home the bacon for her family.

Bad Apple

Synonym: Troublemaker
Meaning: A person who negatively influences others or brings trouble
Origin: This idiom comes from the idea that one rotten apple in a barrel can spoil the rest.
Example Sentence: He was the bad apple in the group, always causing problems.

Use Your Noodle

Synonym: Think
Meaning: To use your brain or think carefully
Origin: This idiom refers to “noodle” as a slang term for the head or brain, encouraging someone to think.
Example Sentence: You’ll need to use your noodle to solve this tricky puzzle.

Apple Of My Eye

Synonym: Beloved
Meaning: Someone who is cherished above all others
Origin: This idiom dates back to the Bible and Shakespeare’s works, where the “apple” referred to the pupil of the eye, something precious and indispensable.
Example Sentence: His daughter is the apple of his eye.

Full Of Beans

Synonym: Energetic
Meaning: To be lively, energetic, or enthusiastic
Origin: This idiom possibly comes from the idea that horses fed on beans would be more energetic.
Example Sentence: The kids werefull of beans after eating all that candy.

Take It With A Grain Of Salt

Synonym: Be skeptical
Meaning: To view something with skepticism or doubt
Origin: This idiom dates back to ancient Rome, where salt was used as an antidote to poison, suggesting that a bit of skepticism could protect you from being misled.
Example Sentence: She tends to exaggerate, so I take everything she says with a grain of salt.

Eat Crow

Synonym: Admit defeat
Meaning: To admit that one is wrong, often with humiliation
Origin: This idiom likely originated in the United States in the 19th century, with “crow” symbolizing something unpleasant to eat.
Example Sentence: After the argument, he had to eat crow and apologize.

Too Many Cooks Spoil The Broth

Synonym: Overcrowding
Meaning: Too many people involved in a task can ruin it
Origin: This idiom dates back to the 16th century, with the idea that too many chefs trying to make a dish will result in a poor outcome.
Example Sentence: With so many people trying to help, the project ended up a mess. 

Buy A Lemon

Synonym: Purchase something defective
Meaning: To buy something that turns out to be worthless or defective
Origin: This idiom likely comes from American slang, where “lemon” was used to describe something that looked good but turned out to be bad.
Example Sentence: He thought he got a great deal on that used car, but it turned out he bought a lemon.

Two Peas In A Pod

Synonym: Very Similar
Meaning: Two people who are very similar or compatible.
Origin: This idiom has been used since the 18th century, comparing two similar objects in a pod, symbolizing closeness and similarity in characteristics.
Example Sentence: Those two are like two peas in a pod; they share the same interests and humor.

Take The Cake

Synonym: Win, be the best
Meaning: To be the most outstanding, often in a negative sense
Origin: This idiom originates from cakewalks, contests where the best dancer would win a cake.
Example Sentence: Out of all his bad ideas, this one takes the cake.

Food For Thought

Synonym: Consideration
Meaning: Something that warrants serious consideration.
Origin: This idiom has been around since the 20th century, indicating that an idea is substantial enough to “nourish” the mind, much like food nourishes the body.
Example Sentence: The lecture provided plenty of food for thought about future innovations.

Bad Egg

Synonym: Troublemaker
Meaning: A person who behaves dishonestly or poorly
Origin: This idiom comes from the idea that a bad egg looks fine on the outside but is rotten inside.
Example Sentence: He’s a bad egg; you can’t trust him with anything important.

Feast Or Famine

Synonym: Extremes
Meaning: A situation where one experiences either abundance or severe lack.
Origin: This idiom has been used since the 19th century, highlighting the extremes of abundance or scarcity, often in relation to food or resources.
Example Sentence: In this business, it’s often feast or famine; some months we’re overwhelmed with work, and others are quiet.

Not My Cup Of Tea

Synonym: Not my preference
Meaning: Something that one does not like or enjoy
Origin: Similar to “cup of tea,” this idiom is rooted in British culture, where tea is a common comfort drink, and not liking something means it’s not your “cup of tea.”
Example Sentence: Skiing is not my cup of tea; I prefer the beach.

Have Your Cake And Eat It Too

Synonym: Want everything
Meaning: To want to have two incompatible things at once
Origin: This idiom dates back to the 16th century, highlighting the impossibility of eating a cake and still having it afterward.
Example Sentence: He wants to travel all the time and keep his high-paying job. He can’t have his cake and eat it too.

Eat Humble Pie

Synonym: Apologize
Meaning: To admit one’s mistakes and apologize humbly
Origin: This idiom comes from “umble pie,” a dish made from animal innards that was eaten by the poor, signifying humility.
Example Sentence: After being proven wrong, he had to eat humble pie and apologize to everyone.

Upset The Applecart

Synonym: Disrupt Plans
Meaning: To cause trouble or disrupt a plan.
Origin: This idiom dates back to the 19th century, referring to the chaos caused by upsetting a cart full of apples, signifying a disruption of what was orderly or expected.
Example Sentence: His unexpected announcement really upset the applecart for the event planning.

Bread And Butter

Synonym: Basic needs
Meaning: One’s main source of income or livelihood
Origin: This idiom comes from the idea that bread and butter are basic necessities, just as a job or career is necessary for earning a living.
Example Sentence: Writing is her bread and butter, so she spends a lot of time on it.

Cry Over Spilled Milk

Synonym: Complain unnecessarily
Meaning: To be upset over something that has already happened and cannot be changed
Origin: This idiom dates back to the 17th century, where it was used to express that it’s useless to cry over something that can’t be undone, like spilled milk.
Example Sentence: There’s no use crying over spilled milk; we need to focus on fixing the problem.

Upper Crust

Synonym: High Society
Meaning: The wealthy and socially elite class.
Origin: This phrase dates back to the 18th century, referring to the upper layer of a pie or the best part of something, symbolizing the elite and privileged members of society.
Example Sentence: He comes from the upper crust and has always lived a life of privilege.

Big Cheese

Synonym: Important person
Meaning: A person of high status or authority
Origin: This idiom likely comes from the Persian or Urdu word “chiz,” meaning “thing.” The phrase was adopted in English, with “cheese” representing something or someone of significance.
Example Sentence: The CEO is the big cheese in the company; everyone listens to him.

Cherry Pick

Synonym: Select carefully
Meaning: To selectively choose only the best or most desirable items or people
Origin: This idiom comes from the practice of picking only the best cherries from a tree, leaving the rest behind.
Example Sentence: They cherry pick the best players for the team.

Egg On Your Face

Synonym: Embarrassed
Meaning: To be embarrassed or appear foolish
Origin: This idiom likely comes from the idea of having food, such as egg, on one’s face, causing embarrassment.
Example Sentence: He had egg on his face after confidently stating the wrong answer.

Flash In The Pan

Synonym: Brief Success
Meaning: A sudden, short-lived success or event that doesn’t last.
Origin: This idiom dates back to the 17th century, referring to the flash of a gun that doesn’t fire properly, signifying something that appears promising but quickly fades.
Example Sentence: His brief fame was just a flash in the pan, and soon he was forgotten.

Through The Grapevine

Synonym: Rumor
Meaning: To hear information through informal channels or rumors.
Origin: This idiom originated during the American Civil War in the 19th century, referring to the way rumors spread like grapevines, symbolizing the often tangled nature of gossip.
Example Sentence: I heard through the grapevine that they’re planning a surprise party.

Top Banana

Synonym: Leader
Meaning: The most important or senior person in a group.
Origin: This idiom originated in the 1920s from vaudeville acts, where the “top banana” was the star performer, often leading the show and receiving the most attention.
Example Sentence: As the top banana in the office, she makes all the final decisions.

Have A Sweet Tooth

Synonym: Craving sweets
Meaning: To have a strong liking for sweet foods
Origin: This idiom comes from the idea that those with a preference for sweets have a figurative “sweet tooth.”
Example Sentence: He always orders dessert; he has a sweet tooth.

In A Nutshell

Synonym: Briefly
Meaning: To describe something concisely
Origin: This idiom dates back to ancient times, where something small enough to fit in a nutshell was considered brief or simple.
Example Sentence: In a nutshell, the project was a success.

Sow Your Oats

Synonym: Explore
Meaning: To engage in youthful or wild behavior, especially related to dating or partying.
Origin: This idiom has roots in the 16th century, referring to planting oats as a metaphor for exploring and experiencing life before settling down. It suggests a time of youthful exploration and adventure.
Example Sentence: After college, he decided to sow his oats before settling down.

Put All Your Eggs In One Basket

Synonym: Risk everything
Meaning: To risk everything on a single venture
Origin: This idiom likely comes from the idea that if you put all your eggs in one basket and the basket drops, you lose everything.
Example Sentence: Investing all your money in one stock is like putting all your eggs in one basket.

Have A Finger In Every Pie

Synonym: Involved in many activities
Meaning: To be involved in many different activities or projects
Origin: This idiom comes from the idea of someone being greedy and trying to take a piece of every pie available, representing involvement in various matters.
Example Sentence: He’s on multiple committees and boards; he has a finger in every pie.

Walk On Eggshells

Synonym: Be cautious
Meaning: To be very careful not to offend or upset someone
Origin: This idiom likely comes from the idea that walking on eggshells requires great care, as they are fragile and can easily break.
Example Sentence: He was walking on eggshells around his boss after the argument.

Hard Nut To Crack

Synonym: Difficult Problem
Meaning: A challenging problem or situation that is hard to solve.
Origin: This idiom dates back to the 19th century and refers to the literal difficulty of cracking a tough nut, symbolizing challenges that require effort and skill to overcome.
Example Sentence: Finding a solution to this project has proven to be a hard nut to crack.

Use Your Noodle

Synonym: Think
Meaning: To use your brain or think carefully
Origin: This idiom refers to “noodle” as a slang term for the head or brain, encouraging someone to think.
Example Sentence: You’ll need to use your noodle to solve this tricky puzzle.

Chew The Fat

Synonym: Chat
Meaning: To have a long, casual conversation
Origin: This idiom dates back to sailors chewing on salt-cured fat as a way to pass time during long voyages, symbolizing casual conversation.
Example Sentence: We sat down to chew the fat over coffee.

Tough Nut To Crack

Synonym: Difficult
Meaning: A difficult problem or person to deal with
Origin: This idiom comes from the idea that some nuts are very hard to crack open, representing something challenging.
Example Sentence: Convincing him to change his mind will be a tough nut to crack.

That’s The Way The Cookie Crumbles

Synonym: Accept reality
Meaning: Accepting a situation as it is, even if it’s not favorable
Origin: This idiom likely comes from the idea that cookies can crumble unpredictably, representing life’s unpredictability.
Example Sentence: We didn’t win, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles.

Feel Your Oats

Synonym: Full Of Energy
Meaning: To feel energetic and lively.
Origin: This idiom likely comes from the 19th century, referring to horses feeling invigorated after eating oats, which are known for providing energy. It metaphorically describes a person who is energetic and spirited.
Example Sentence: After a good night’s sleep, she woke up feeling her oats and ready to tackle the day.

Butter Fingers

Synonym: Clumsy
Meaning: Someone who frequently drops things
Origin: This idiom comes from the idea that if someone’s fingers were covered in butter, they would be slippery and prone to dropping things.
Example Sentence: He’s always dropping the ball; he has butter fingers.

Too Many Chefs In The Kitchen

Synonym: Overcrowding
Meaning: When too many people are involved in managing or making decisions about something, it can lead to chaos or a lack of productivity.
Origin: This idiom is a variation of “too many cooks spoil the broth,” which dates back to the 16th century. The idea is that having too many people involved in a task can cause confusion and reduce the quality of the outcome.
Example Sentence: The project failed because there were too many chefs in the kitchen—everyone wanted to do things their own way.

Everything But The Kitchen Sink

Synonym: Almost everything
Meaning: Including almost everything, often to an excessive degree
Origin: This idiom likely comes from the idea of including every possible item when packing or preparing, except the kitchen sink, which is too large and fixed to be moved.
Example Sentence: She packed everything but the kitchen sink for the weekend trip.

Eat You Out Of House And Home

Synonym: Consume Excessively
Meaning: To consume so much food that it burdens the host.
Origin: This idiom has been used since the 19th century, referring to someone who eats so much they deplete the resources of their host. It reflects a humorous exaggeration of someone’s voracious appetite.
Example Sentence: With all his friends visiting, he’s going to eat us out of house and home.

Baker’s Dozen

Synonym: Thirteen
Meaning: A group of 13 items, especially baked goods
Origin: This idiom dates back to medieval times when bakers would give an extra item to avoid being penalized for selling short-weight bread.
Example Sentence: The bakery gave me a baker’s dozen of cookies.

Worth Your Salt

Synonym: Competent, deserving
Meaning: To be competent, deserving, or worth what you are paid
Origin: This idiom originates from ancient times when salt was a valuable commodity and was sometimes used as currency or to pay soldiers.
Example Sentence: Any manager worth their salt would know how to handle this situation.

From Soup To Nuts

Synonym: Everything, start to finish
Meaning: Covering everything from beginning to end
Origin: This idiom comes from traditional full-course meals, which would start with soup and end with nuts for dessert.
Example Sentence: The conference covered everything from soup to nuts.

Bring Home The Bacon

Synonym: Earn money
Meaning: To earn a living or provide financial support
Origin: This idiom is thought to come from a medieval English tradition where bacon was given as a prize to a man who could swear before the church that he had not argued with his wife for a year.
Example Sentence: She works hard every day to bring home the bacon for her family.

Cut The Mustard

Synonym: Meet Expectations
Meaning: To succeed or meet the required standard.
Origin: This idiom likely originated in the early 20th century, possibly related to the difficulty of cutting mustard plants, which are known for their toughness. The phrase suggests that if someone cannot “cut” mustard, they fall short of expectations or capability.
Example Sentence: He just couldn’t cut the mustard in his new job and decided to look for something else.

Born With A Silver Spoon In Your Mouth

Synonym: Privileged
Meaning: To be born into a wealthy or privileged family
Origin: This idiom refers to the tradition of giving a silver spoon as a christening gift, symbolizing wealth and privilege.
Example Sentence: He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and never had to work a day in his life.

Eat Out Of Your Hand

Synonym: Totally Obey
Meaning: To be completely subservient or obedient to someone.
Origin: This phrase emerged in the early 20th century, illustrating the idea that someone trusts you completely, as a pet might eat from your hand, showing total submission and affection.
Example Sentence: The children were so enchanted by the magician that they would eat out of his hand.

Gravy Train

Synonym: Easy money
Meaning: A source of easy or lucrative income
Origin: This idiom likely originated in the early 20th century, with “gravy” being slang for something easy or profitable, and “train” suggesting a continuous supply.
Example Sentence: That job is a gravy train—he hardly works and makes a lot of money.

Eat Your Heart Out

Meaning: To feel intense jealousy or longing.
Origin: This idiom dates back to the 19th century and evokes the idea of someone suffering emotionally from envy, as if their heart is being consumed by feelings of jealousy. It expresses a sense of pride when someone else may feel inadequate.
Example Sentence: She just won the competition; eat your heart out, everyone else!

Eat Your Words

Synonym: Retract
Meaning: To take back what you have said, especially after realizing it was wrong.
Origin: This phrase became popular in the 20th century, indicating the idea of being forced to “consume” one’s own statements, highlighting the consequences of speaking too soon or confidently.
Example Sentence: After the team’s unexpected victory, he had to eat his words about their chances of winning.

Go Lay An Egg

Synonym: Go Away
Meaning: A dismissive expression telling someone to leave or get lost.
Origin: This idiom originated in the 20th century, often used in a humorous or lighthearted context, suggesting that someone should go off and do something trivial.
Example Sentence: When he wouldn’t stop bothering us, I told him to go lay an egg.

Hit The Spot

Synonym: Satisfy
Meaning: To be exactly what was needed or wanted
Origin: This idiom likely comes from the idea of food or drink hitting the “spot” of hunger or thirst, providing satisfaction.
Example Sentence: After a long day, that cold drink really hit the spot.

Cream Of The Crop

Synonym: Best
Meaning: The best of a particular group or category.
Origin: This idiom dates back to the 19th century and is derived from the phrase “the cream rises to the top,” which reflects the practice of separating cream from milk. The cream is considered the best part, symbolizing the idea that the best individuals rise above the rest.
Example Sentence: She is the cream of the crop in her class, consistently achieving top grades.

Salt Of The Earth

Synonym: Honest, good-hearted
Meaning: A person who is kind, reliable, and of great integrity
Origin: This idiom comes from the Bible, where Jesus referred to his followers as the “salt of the earth,” meaning they were valuable and essential.
Example Sentence: My grandmother is the salt of the earth—always helping others and never expecting anything in return.

Fruitcake

Synonym: Crazy person
Meaning: Someone who is eccentric or mentally unstable
Origin: The idiom likely derives from the idea of a fruitcake being packed with a mix of different ingredients, symbolizing a chaotic or mixed-up mind.
Example Sentence: He’s a bit of a fruitcake, but he means well.

Pie In The Sky

Synonym: Unrealistic
Meaning: A promise or hope that is unlikely to happen
Origin: This idiom comes from a song by labor activist Joe Hill in 1911, criticizing the false promises of heavenly rewards for suffering through life.
Example Sentence: His dreams of becoming a millionaire overnight are just pie in the sky.

The Proof Is In The Pudding

Synonym: Results matter
Meaning: The real value of something is shown through its practical results, not its appearance
Origin: The original phrase was “the proof of the pudding is in the eating,” meaning that you had to try food to know if it was good.
Example Sentence: His theory sounds convincing, but the proof is in the pudding—let’s see if it works.

Sell Like Hotcakes

Synonym: Sell quickly
Meaning: To sell very quickly and in large quantities
Origin: This idiom comes from the 19th century when hotcakes (pancakes) were popular and sold quickly at fairs and events.
Example Sentence: The new smartphones are selling like hotcakes.

Upset The Apple Cart

Synonym: Disrupt
Meaning: To cause trouble or disrupt a plan or situation
Origin: This idiom likely comes from the literal idea of upsetting a cart full of apples, causing chaos and a mess.
Example Sentence: His sudden resignation upset the apple cart at the company.

Cooking With Gas

Synonym: Doing well
Meaning: To be working very efficiently or successfully
Origin: This idiom was popularized in the 1940s as a slogan by the gas industry to promote gas stoves, which were considered more efficient than other types of stoves.
Example Sentence: Now that we’ve fixed the bugs, the project is really cooking with gas.

Go Fry An Egg

Synonym: Go away
Meaning: A dismissive way to tell someone to leave or stop bothering you
Origin: The origin of this idiom is unclear, but it likely stems from the idea of sending someone away to do something trivial.
Example Sentence: I’m busy right now, so go fry an egg and let me work.

Couch Potato

Synonym: Lazy person
Meaning: Someone who spends a lot of time sitting and doing nothing, usually watching TV
Origin: This idiom was coined in the 1970s, combining “couch” with “potato” to represent a person who is sedentary and inactive.
Example Sentence: He’s such a couch potato; he spent the whole weekend watching TV.

Out Of The Frying Pan And Into The Fire

Synonym: From bad to worse
Meaning: To go from a bad situation to an even worse one
Origin: This idiom dates back to ancient times and was popularized by Aesop’s fables, describing a situation where one escapes danger only to find themselves in even greater peril.
Example Sentence: Quitting his job without another offer lined up was like jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Catch More Flies With Honey Than With Vinegar

Synonym: Be kind
Meaning: You’re more likely to get what you want by being polite and kind than by being rude
Origin: This idiom dates back to the 1600s and is based on the observation that flies are more attracted to sweet substances than to sour ones.
Example Sentence: If you want people to help you, remember that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

Pot Calling The Kettle Black

Synonym: Hypocritical
Meaning: Criticizing someone for a fault that you also possess
Origin: This idiom dates back to the 1600s and was popularized in Miguel de Cervantes’ novel “Don Quixote,” referring to the blackened appearance of both pots and kettles when used over a fire.
Example Sentence: He accused her of being late, which is the pot calling the kettle black since he’s always late himself.

Mince Words

Synonym: Be diplomatic
Meaning: To soften or weaken the force of one’s words, often to avoid offending
Origin: This idiom comes from the idea of mincing, or cutting food into small pieces, suggesting that words are being softened or diluted.
Example Sentence: He didn’t mince words when he told me exactly what he thought of my idea.

Easy As Pie

Synonym: Simple
Meaning: Something that is very easy to do
Origin: This idiom likely comes from the idea that making or eating pie is a simple and enjoyable task.
Example Sentence: The test was easy as pie; I finished it in 20 minutes.

Pie In The Sky

Synonym: Unrealistic
Meaning: A promise or hope that is unlikely to happen
Origin: This idiom comes from a song by labor activist Joe Hill in 1911, criticizing the false promises of heavenly rewards for suffering through life.
Example Sentence: His dreams of becoming a millionaire overnight are just pie in the sky.

Drop You Like A Hot Potato

Synonym: Abandon quickly
Meaning: To suddenly abandon or stop being involved with someone or something
Origin: This idiom likely comes from the idea that if you were holding a hot potato, you would drop it immediately to avoid getting burned.
Example Sentence: When the scandal broke, his friends dropped him like a hot potato.

Break The Ice

Synonym: Ease Tension
Meaning: To initiate a conversation in a social setting or make a start in a situation where people are feeling awkward or reserved. It often involves doing or saying something to make people feel more comfortable and open to interacting.
Origin: The phrase dates back to the 17th century and is derived from the practice of breaking the ice to clear a path for ships in icy waters. In social contexts, “breaking the ice” refers to overcoming the initial awkwardness or tension that prevents people from interacting smoothly.
Example Sentence: To break the ice at the meeting, the host started with a fun trivia game to help everyone feel more at ease.

Bowl Of Cherries

Synonym: Joyful Experience
Meaning: A situation that is very enjoyable or pleasant.
Origin: This idiom emerged in the 20th century, suggesting that life should be as sweet and easy as a bowl filled with cherries. Cherries are often associated with delight and indulgence, making this phrase a metaphor for a carefree and joyful existence.
Example Sentence: After a tough week at work, Saturday felt like a bowl of cherries.

Chew Someone Out

Synonym: Scold
Meaning: To reprimand or criticize someone angrily.
Origin: This phrase became popular in the mid-20th century, likening a harsh scolding to the act of chewing vigorously. The imagery suggests someone is metaphorically “chewing” on another person with their words, much like a parent might scold a child.
Example Sentence: The coach chewed him out for missing practice again.