Welcome to our fun exploration of coffee idioms! Even if you’re just learning about English, you’ll find these phrases easy to understand. These expressions are used by people every day and are a cool way to learn how our language can be flavored just like our favorite drink – coffee!
Coffee Idioms
Here are 20 coffee idioms in English with meaning and example sentence for each.
1. Wake up and smell the coffee
Meaning: Realize the truth about a situation
Example: It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee; she’s not coming back.
2. As black as coffee
Meaning: Very dark in color
Example: His new car is as black as coffee.
3. Coffee talk
Meaning: Casual conversation
Example: Let’s have some coffee talk before our meeting.
4. To do coffee
Meaning: To go out for coffee
Example: Are we still on to do coffee tomorrow?
5. Coffee up
Meaning: To drink coffee to wake up
Example: I need to coffee up before the drive.
6. Instant coffee
Meaning: Something done quickly and easily
Example: He wants an instant coffee solution to the problem.
7. Coffee break
Meaning: A short break to drink coffee
Example: Let’s take a coffee break in an hour.
8. Full of beans
Meaning: Energetic, lively
Example: The kids are full of beans this morning.
9. Not for all the coffee in Brazil
Meaning: Not at any price
Example: I wouldn’t sell it, not for all the coffee in Brazil.
10. A storm in a coffee cup
Meaning: A lot of fuss about a small issue
Example: It’s just a storm in a coffee cup; don’t worry.
11. A coffee-spoon life
Meaning: A small, measured life
Example: He leads a coffee-spoon life, very careful and precise.
12. Strong as coffee
Meaning: Very strong or intense
Example: His opinions are as strong as coffee.
13. To filter out
Meaning: To remove unwanted parts
Example: You need to filter out the noise from the facts.
14. No coffee, no workee
Meaning: Need coffee to start working
Example: No coffee, no workee, she joked in the morning.
15. To stir things up
Meaning: To cause trouble
Example: He likes to stir things up in meetings.
16. Black coffee day
Meaning: A gloomy, difficult day
Example: It’s a real black coffee day for me.
17. Like a coffee ring
Meaning: Something that leaves a mark
Example: His words left an impression like a coffee ring.
18. Espresso yourself
Meaning: Express yourself clearly
Example: Go on, espresso yourself, we’re listening.
19. Coffee on the brain
Meaning: Thinking a lot about coffee
Example: I’ve got coffee on the brain this morning.
20. In need of a refill
Meaning: Needing more of something
Example: I’m in need of a refill of inspiration.
