Breezy English

Smooth talk: 10 English expressions for effortless tasks!

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According to the saying, "easy come, easy go," but today, we won’t be focusing on the last part. Instead, we’ll explore the many ways to say something is easy in English. These expressions range from playful rhymes like "easy-peasy, lemon squeezy" to more metaphorical ones like "a piece of cake." But one thing is certain—some things in life are so simple and effortless that they deserve their own colorful descriptions. Don’t worry, understanding these 10 expressions is definitely not rocket science!

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We all have that one recipe we know by heart—the one we turn to whenever we want to impress someone because we know we’ll nail it, right? In fact, we’ve made it so many times that we could do it in our sleep! That’s the essence of this expression.

The origins of this idiom are unclear, and it doesn’t necessarily mean that something was easy from the start. Instead, it highlights the idea that after repeating the same action over and over, it becomes almost automatic and effortless.

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You’re sitting at home, in need of some fresh air (and a little exercise), so you put on your trainers and take a walk through the nearest park. You return home feeling refreshed, with a clear mind, and happier than before. How easy was that? According to the saying—very!

This expression carries two meanings. First, the reason it made it into this article—it refers to things that are effortless and flow naturally. But beyond that, it also conveys a sense of enjoyment because it requires minimal effort. Who doesn’t love that combination?

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Maybe you’re a rocket science aficionado, and these concepts come naturally to you. But for most of us, rocket science is nearly impossible to understand (even if it’s fascinating) and can be quite frustrating. So, when we say something is not rocket science, we mean the exact opposite!

This colloquial expression is often used to encourage someone to try something new by assuring them that it will be easy. Take a father teaching his child how to drive—it’s really not rocket science! Now, between us, we’re grateful for automatic cars, aren’t we?

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We’ll give you ten seconds to think of things you start or set in motion at the push of a button. Go! How many did you come up with? TV remotes, air conditioners, coffee makers, answering a call—even starting a car! If pushing a button is all it takes to get something working, well, that’s certainly quite easy, don’t you think?

This idiom naturally emerged from the household appliance revolution of the 1920s. Before that, machines and similar devices were often complicated to understand and operate. But as appliances became easier to use, they eventually reached a point where all one had to do was push a button. Voilà!

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Probably the hardest thing about this phrase is saying it quickly a few times in a row. Other than that, this expression playfully describes something that is extremely easy to do or perform.

Now, can you guess where this expression comes from? Of British origin, easy-peasy was first recorded in a 1940s movie, but it actually stems from children’s slang or colloquialisms. The full phrase was later expanded upon in a British commercial for a lemon-scented dish soap called Sqezy. While it would be fun if the brand had used this as a catchphrase, there’s no evidence that they did. If they didn’t—we will!

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Take a trip back to your childhood—you’re on holiday, walking through a forest or maybe along a beach when you spot a fallen tree log just sitting there, waiting for you to walk on it. You climb on and take a step, only to realize that balancing is quite tricky—and falling off is the easiest part. See where we’re going with this?

This expression, which has been around since the 1830s, describes a task that requires no effort and comes naturally to everyone—just like falling off a log when you try to walk on it.

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Have you ever put off a task for so long that it felt like climbing a mountain, only to finally tackle it and realize it took just a few minutes? The British might call such a task a doddle—an unexpectedly simple job.

The term doddle means "something easy to do or fix" and is a British colloquialism with a somewhat mysterious origin. Some believe it comes from the Scottish word doddle, referring to "a small lump of toffee"—something both tempting and easy to snatch. Others suggest it’s linked to dawdle (meaning "to waste time" or "idle") or even toddle (describing the unsteady steps of a toddler).

Regardless of its roots, doddle entered the English language in the early 20th century, bringing with it a touch of whimsy for life’s simplest challenges.

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Think back to the earliest lessons of childhood—learning a few words, identifying colors, counting numbers, and eventually mastering the alphabet. The ABCs are both fundamental and, let’s be honest, pretty easy to pick up.

The phrase "easy as ABC" reflects this simplicity, describing tasks that are intuitive and foundational.

An older version of the idiom, "plain as ABC," dates back to the late 1600s, while "easy as ABC" emerged by the mid-1800s. Both versions compare simplicity to learning the first three letters of the alphabet—a universal starting point for literacy.

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Imagine this: a bed made of roses—a sight you can see, feel, and even smell. Sounds luxurious, don’t you think? Now, picture what it would be like to lie down on such a soft, fragrant bed (as long as we remove the thorns first, of course!).

The idiom "a bed of roses" describes an experience that is both effortless and pleasant. It’s often used to highlight ease or comfort in contrast to more challenging circumstances. For example, someone might say, "My life isn’t exactly a bed of roses," to emphasize their struggles.

This expression originated in the mid-1500s, drawing on the long-standing association of roses with beauty and positive symbolism. Given the rich history of flowers as metaphors, it’s no surprise that the image of a rose garden came to represent an idealized experience.

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When something is described as "no muss, no fuss," you can count on it being quick, easy, and hassle-free. And let’s be honest—we all appreciate that, don’t we? Whether it’s an appliance, a recipe, or a task, this idiom highlights the appeal of simplicity and minimal effort.

The phrase originated in American English in the early 20th century and naturally became a common colloquial expression. "Muss" refers to mess or disorder, while "fuss" suggests unnecessary worry or complication. Together, they emphasize an experience that is smooth, tidy, and efficient. Even the way the phrase sounds reinforces its meaning, don’t you think?

Fancy names for fancy drinks

Who was Bloody Mary? Join us in exploring 10 drinks’ names

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Nobody thinks twice about the contents of a drink if the name is Gin & Tonic. But what if you never had a Bloody Mary before, and are offered one? According to history, many popular cocktails were created during the Prohibition era when illegal alcohol was not the most palatable drink, and masking its flavor with other ingredients became a necessity. And, since these concoctions needed an appealing name, creative barmen and barwomen came up with many of the denominations we know today. Featured here are 10 of the most popular ones. Have you tried any of these?

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While the real origin of this cocktail consisting of rye, sweet vermouth, and bitters is probably lost to time, the most popular legend is that the Manhattan was specially invented for a banquet hosted by Lady Randolf (mother of Winston) Churchill at the famous Manhattan Club in New York in the late 1800s.

But, when this supposed party took place, Lady Randolph was pregnant with Winston and living in England. So, even if it is a cool story, it is probably not true.

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These days, it refers almost exclusively to a cocktail of bourbon whiskey flavored with sugar and mint but, the word julep was originally borrowed from French to refer to a sweet-tasting or sweetened drink. Before then, it had Persian roots, and its original pronunciation, "gulab" essentially means sweetened rosewater.

The term was translated to "julab" in classical Arabic and then into Latin as "julapium." Eventually, the word would morph into "julep."

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To explain the origin of the Tom Collins cocktail, we must first introduce his brother, John: A John Collins is a mixture of London dry gin, lemon, sugar, and soda. If you replace the London gin with Old Tom gin, you have prepared a Tom Collins.

The Collins surname of this drink is said to come from a 19th-century headwaiter known as John Collins, who worked at Limmer's Hotel and Coffee House and is thought to be the inventor of the drink. As for the Tom part, its origin is lost to the ages.

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There are two leading theories as to where the name of the Mojito comes from. The first one holds that the name relates to mojo, a Cuban seasoning made from lime and used to flavor dishes.

Another theory is that the name Mojito is simply a derivative of mojadito, which is a Spanish word for "lightly wet", which would be the diminutive of "mojado" (wet).

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As the legend goes, a certain Count Negroni of Florence, Italy, once requested a drink that would stand apart from all the Americanos ordered at his usual neighborhood cafe.

The bartender answered his request with a cocktail composed of equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari, and he garnished the result with a telltale orange slice. Unfortunately for the count, the drink became as popular as the Americano, losing the desired exclusivity.

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This classic cocktail is named after the Cuban village of Daiquirí and, as the story goes, it was invented by local American mining engineers around the time of the Spanish-American War when they ran out of gin and had to use the local rum instead. The cocktail usually consists of sugar, rum, lime juice, and simple syrup.

The daiquiri is identified with revered author Ernest Hemingway, who drank this beverage during his stay in Cuba.

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James Bond's drink of choice is typically made with gin or vodka and vermouth. There are many stories about the origin of the cocktail and its name. The bartender professor Jerry Thomas of San Francisco, has claimed that it was invented by a stranger on his way to Martinez, California. Another story says it's named after Martini & Rossi Vermouth, because that brand was first used in the drink Gin and It, with one half gin and one half Martini & Rossi Vermouth.

Another story claims that it was named after a British army rifle, the Martini and Henry, which is known for its kick, like the drink. And the last one, says that it was created at the Knickerbocker Hotel in the early 1900s, by a bartender named Martini di Arma Tiggia that mixed a martini using only a dry gin and dry vermouth.

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The most widely accepted theory about the origin of the Margarita name says that bartender Carlos "Danny" Herrera supposedly thought up this drink around 1938 in Tijuana, Mexico. He created it for Marjorie King, an aspiring actress who he said was allergic to "everything except tequila."

After crafting something for King to drink, Herrera reportedly dubbed the drink margarita, which is a Spanish twist on Marjorie's name.

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Apparently, in the late 1800s, it became popular to introduce liqueurs into cocktail recipes. And the older, more basic recipes that omitted them, and in particular this classic mix of whiskey and bitters, became known as "old fashioned" cocktails.

People ordering drinks in this fashion wanted to stick to the basics and eventually the modifier "old-fashioned" became the name for this classic cocktail with a lot of variations. The classic version uses a bit of sugar or simple syrup, a splash or two of aromatic bitters, perhaps an ice cube, and rye whiskey.

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The most popular tale about this drink’s name links it to the English monarch Mary Tudor, whose nickname was, wait for it, "Bloody Mary", because of how many Protestant heretics she condemned to death.

Another theory suggests that the drink was concocted by a bartender at a Paris bar, where a patron who drank it dubbed it the Bucket of Blood, after a Chicago nightclub, with the name later developing into Bloody Mary.