Bite-sized wisdom

Do you know what “piece of cake” means? 10 food-inspired expressions

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Food-related idioms add flavor to our everyday conversations, but have you ever thought about their origins? From sweet compliments to cautionary advice, these phrases are often rooted in history and culture. From "humble pie" to "spilled milk," here we’ve gathered 10 food idioms and expressions with interesting backstories—though, as with any etymology, you should take them with a grain of salt.

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Meaning: Something easy to accomplish.

There are two competing theories for the origin of this idiom. One suggests it traces back to the 19th-century American South, where enslaved people participated in "cakewalk" competitions organized by slave owners. The best dancers would win a piece of cake, giving rise to the phrase.

Another theory credits American poet Ogden Nash, who used the phrase in a 1936 poem: "Her picture’s in the papers now, And life’s a piece of cake." Regardless of its exact origin, as with many etymologies, determining the truth behind this idiom is not exactly a piece of cake.

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Meaning: To reveal a secret.

This idiom may have roots in ancient Greek voting customs. People often cast their votes using beans placed in a vase—white beans for approval and black beans for disapproval. If the vase tipped over, it would literally "spill the beans," revealing the votes prematurely.

By the early 20th century, it was widely used in American English to mean uncovering something prematurely or accidentally. Interestingly, similar phrases exist in other languages. For instance, the German equivalent is "die Katze aus dem Sack lassen," meaning "let the cat out of the bag."

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Meaning: To remain calm under pressure.

Cucumbers are around 95% water, which gives them a naturally cool temperature, even in warm weather. This unique property was first noted in the 18th century when people began using the phrase "cool as a cucumber" to describe someone who remains calm and collected.

The idiom became popular in both British and American English, reflecting the personal qualities of emotional control and composure.

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Meaning: A person who leads a sedentary lifestyle.

The term "couch potato" was first coined in 1976 by Robert Armstrong, an American cartoonist who wanted to poke fun at people who spent excessive time sitting on the couch watching television, comparing their inactivity to a potato, which also remains stationary and inactive (it would be worrying if any vegetable didn’t, to be fair).

The phrase caught on rapidly, resonating with the rise of television culture during the late 20th century. Armstrong, recognizing its popularity, trademarked "couch potato" in 1979 and began selling related merchandise, including T-shirts, posters, and even a book titled The Official Couch Potato Handbook.

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Meaning: To view something skeptically.

This idiom's origins date back to ancient Rome. In 77 A.D., Pliny the Elder wrote that a grain of salt could neutralize any poison. In an ironic twist, the phrase soon became a metaphor for skepticism, suggesting that any potentially dangerous or dubious information should be handled carefully and with suspicion.

By the 1600s, the phrase had entered the English language and began to be widely used in literary circles.

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Meaning: To admit you’re wrong and apologize.

To "eat humble pie" comes from "umble pie," a dish in medieval England made from the less desirable parts of a deer, such as its heart, liver, and lungs. These were typically eaten by lower-class individuals, while the upper class enjoyed the more premium cuts.

By the 17th century, "umble pie" evolved into "humble pie," linking the idea of humility with the act of apology. Though few people still eat umble pie today, the idiom remains commonly used to describe situations where someone must accept defeat.

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Meaning: To flatter someone for personal gain.

This idiom originates from ancient India, where people would throw butter or clarified butter (ghee) at statues of their gods as a way to seek favor or blessings. The act of "buttering up" a deity was believed to increase one's chances of receiving divine assistance.

By the 1800s, the phrase was being used in British and American English to describe excessive flattery. Today, it carries a slightly negative connotation, suggesting that the flattery is insincere and intended to manipulate someone.

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Meaning: To harm or betray someone who helps you.

The imagery of this idiom is quite literal: a pet biting its owner, despite the care it receives. The expression has been traced back to writings from the early 1700s, where it was used to warn against ingratitude.

In various forms, the phrase appears in other languages, like in French, where it is said, "mordre la main qui te nourrit." It hints at a universal concept of loyalty and gratitude toward those who provide for you.

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Meaning: To be upset over something that cannot be undone.

First recorded in 1659 by British historian James Howell, this idiom advises against grieving over irreversible events. Once milk is spilled, there's no way to recover it, making it pointless to dwell on. Over time, it evolved into a common piece of advice for dealing with mistakes or unfortunate events.

Interestingly, the phrase appears in many cultures with slight variations. For example, in Spain, the equivalent expression is "agua pasada no mueve molino," meaning "water past the mill doesn’t turn it." Both emphasize the futility of worrying about the past.

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Meaning: To earn a living or provide for a family.

While etymologists are unsure of the exact origin of this phrase, many suggest that the expression dates back to medieval England, where bacon was a popular prize in some village competitions.

However, the phrase gained more prominence in the 1900s when it was used to describe the responsibilities of the household breadwinner. "Bringing home the bacon" evolved to symbolize earning money to support one’s family.

Weird wordplay

Dive into the fascinating origins of these baffling idioms!

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We said it once and we’ll say it again: Idioms are definitively weird. And with how much the English language relies on these strange phrases, you’ll probably find yourself using idioms more often than you think, without taking the time to think how wishing someone to "break a leg" before a big show is not a not-so-veiled threat. In any case, let’s dive into the origins of some of the most baffling idioms out there, with the hope of trying to shed some light onto the inherent strangeness of these sayings. Enjoy!

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Let’s start with a strangely uplifting one. What do you think of whenever you try to picture something cute? Well, in small, round fastening knobs, of course! The idiom "cute as a button" does not make a lot of sense when first heard: After all, we mindlessly clip buttons on dress shirts, pants, and coats without giving a second thought to their adorability. However, a point should be made that, when you think about it, buttons tend to be shiny, small, and round, which in truth tends to check a lot of the boxes of what lots of people consider cute.

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Crows are definitively remarkable birds: Their shiny, black plumage and imposing presence can only be surpassed by their outstanding intelligence. However, we hope that any crow reading this doesn’t take offense when we say that they don’t really stand out as particularly tasty birds. In that regard, the idiom "to eat crow" does make some sense: We use this idiom to describe those times in which we have to admit our wrongs, no matter how hard they are to swallow. However, we do believe that any number of non-edible objects can be used instead of these majestic birds.

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Want to tell someone how important they are to you? Well, you might want to compare them to the fruit that keeps doctors away. But wait, it gets better: Why not compare them to a metaphorical apple stuck in your cornea? Who wouldn’t blush after hearing this?

We should clarify that there’s some reasoning behind the idiom "the apple of my eye": Historians believe that it comes from Old English, when the word "apple" was synonymous with the pupil of the eye, which most of us will agree is a rather precious body part.

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Being a boss or a manager is definitely not an easy task: It comes with the difficult responsibility of communicating with those you are in charge of that their work is sadly not up to scratch. In that sense, you might want to tell someone they don’t cut the mustard, although that might leave them utterly confused. No one is entirely sure where this idiom comes from, or when the idea of cutting this condiment became synonymous with excellence, but some believe that it comes from the expression "pass muster", which is a military phrase used when a soldier passes military inspection.

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This is one of the most fascinating idiom origins we could find. While at first glance the idiom "take it with a pinch of salt", which means to view something with skepticism, doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense, it actually comes from an ancient Latin text from Pliny the Elder. In his Naturalis Historia, Pliny describes a supposed antidote to poison that includes two dried walnuts, two figs, and, of course, a pinch of salt: According to Pliny, whoever takes this mixture would be invulnerable to poison all day. In that sense, this perfectly reflects the meaning of this idiom: Taking dubious information with a pinch of salt would metaphorically prevent these falsehoods from "poisoning" you.

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Pigs definitively have it rough when it comes to idioms: "Eating like a pig" always makes us feel bad while something improbable will happen "whenever pigs fly". In that sense, "sweating like a pig" not only sounds awfully mean-spirited, but it is also factually inaccurate: Pigs famously don’t sweat and take luscious mud bads in order to cool themselves. So, next time you are thinking about using this phrase, please consider that you’ll only spread misinformation about one of the world’s favorite farm animals.

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This one is just downright baffling: When did the world’s most beloved pets become synonymous with bad weather? In case you didn’t know, the phrase "raining cats and dogs" is used to describe a particularly heavy rain, but linguists don’t really know where this idiom comes from. Some point to the Greek word Katadoupoi (which means "waterfall"), since it sounds vaguely familiar to the English idiom.

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While we don’t really approve of dogs being associated with any negative idiom, the truth is that the origin of the phrase "dog days" is remarkably interesting. Here’s the thing, this saying is used to describe hot and stuffy summer days, which some consider to be some of the most uncomfortable days in the Northern Hemisphere. This peculiar expression comes from Ancient Greece since these hot days were signified by the rising of the Sirius star system, colloquially known as the "Dog Star".

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You would think that the last thing that a theater friend of yours wants to hear before going on stage is a violent wish for broken bones, and yet, "break a leg" is one of the most commonly said phrases in the world of theater. While we can’t provide you with a definitive origin story of this idiom, many believe that it simply comes from a thespian superstition that states that one should say exactly the opposite of what they are wishing.

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If we were to take this idiom at face value, no one would be able to have a slice of their own birthday cake. The idiom "You can't have your cake and eat it too" is used to describe a situation in which two or more favorable outcomes are impossible: In that sense, the titular cake cannot be owned and eaten at the same time. What feels particularly baffling about this idiom is that, when you think about it, having a cake won’t do you much good if you don’t eat it, so why would anyone choose the first option?