There are hundreds of English idioms related to food. Some of them are very common, others are more obscure. Here are my seven favourite:
1. too many cooks spoil the broth
Meaning: too many people trying to do something at the same time will ruin the end result.
Example: I don’t need 5 people to help me change a light bulb. It’s a case of too many cooks…
2. to put all your eggs in one basket
Meaning: to rely too much on a positive outcome from one thing and have no contingency plan.
Example: Remember to apply for some universities other than your first choice. You don’t want to put all your eggs in one basket
3. the apple of your eye
Meaning: something which you consider to be perfect or very good.
Example: His little daughter is the apple of his eye.
4. take something with a pinch / grain of salt
Meaning: take something lightly. To accept something but remain sceptical.
Example: He took the fortune teller’s advice on next week’s lottery numbers with a grain of salt.
5. eye candy
Meaning: someone or something that’s very attractive to look at.
Example: The images in the book aren’t instructional, they’re just eye candy.
6. mutton dressed as lamb
Meaning: someone trying to appear younger than he or she really is
Example: Grandma really shouldn’t wear those miniskirts. She looks like mutton dressed as lamb.
7. in a nutshell
Used to introduce a summary
Example: In a nutshell, all these expressions are useful every day.
Today’s image is by Jorge Uzcategui.