Bread is not just for eating; it also appears in many English expressions. These phrases, known as idioms, make language fun and colorful. They are used in everyday conversations and often have meanings different from the actual words. This introduction will lead into a collection of bread-related idioms that are easy to understand, even for kids.
Bread Idioms
Here are 20 bread idioms in English with meaning and example sentence for each.
1. Best thing since sliced bread
Meaning: A great invention or innovation.
Example: Smartphones are the best thing since sliced bread.
2. Bread and butter
Meaning: A main source of income.
Example: Freelancing is his bread and butter.
3. Breadwinner
Meaning: The main financial provider.
Example: He is the breadwinner of the family.
4. Break bread
Meaning: To share a meal together.
Example: Let’s break bread sometime soon.
5. Half a loaf is better than none
Meaning: Be grateful for what you have.
Example: I only got a small bonus, but half a loaf is better than none.
6. Know which side your bread is buttered
Meaning: Know where your interests lie.
Example: She knows which side her bread is buttered on.
7. Take the bread out of someone’s mouth
Meaning: To deprive someone of livelihood.
Example: Stealing jobs takes the bread out of people’s mouths.
8. The upper crust
Meaning: The highest social class.
Example: She mingled with the upper crust.
9. Bread of life
Meaning: Something very important for life.
Example: Education is the bread of life.
10. To butter one’s bread
Meaning: To flatter for personal gain.
Example: He’s just buttering his bread.
11. To earn one’s bread
Meaning: To make a living.
Example: He earns his bread as a carpenter.
12. To have one’s bread buttered on both sides
Meaning: To have advantages others do not.
Example: He has his bread buttered on both sides.
13. Cast one’s bread upon the waters
Meaning: Do good without expecting return.
Example: She casts her bread upon the waters volunteering.
14. Bread or stones
Meaning: Basic necessities or nothing.
Example: It’s a matter of bread or stones now.
15. Like taking bread from a baby
Meaning: Very easy to do.
Example: Winning that game was like taking bread from a baby.
16. Man cannot live by bread alone
Meaning: People need more than just food to live.
Example: Man cannot live by bread alone; love is needed too.
17. Bread in the bone
Meaning: Deeply ingrained habit.
Example: Honesty is bread in the bone for him.
18. Bread on the waters
Meaning: Benefits returned over time.
Example: His kindness was like bread on the waters.
19. As good as bread
Meaning: Very good or reliable.
Example: This old car is as good as bread.
20. No bread without sauce
Meaning: Everything comes with conditions.
Example: There’s no bread without sauce in this deal.
