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Idioms for Cooking: It is no wonder that there are so many idioms for cooking and culinary. After all, cooking is an art that involves creativity and skill. Whereas idioms are exactly that creativity we look for to use in everyday conversations and add colour and depth to our language. Therefore, in this blog post, we will explore several idioms related to cooking, their meanings, and examples to spice up your cooking conversation.
This Blog Includes:
Cooking Phrases and idioms
Cooking is something which has huge importance in people’s lives as they get the food through it. Knowing and understanding the cooking phrases and idioms is needed to use them perfectly in the sentences. Therefore, here are some of the cooking idioms along with their explanation and examples.
On a Plate
The idiom “on a plate” means to have something given to you very easily or without having to work for it. Basically, it implies something which is easily handed over without any hard work.
For example: He inherited his father’s successful business empire on a plate, so he never really had to struggle to achieve financial success.
Curry Favour
The idiom “curry favour” means to try to gain someone’s favour through flattery or other means, often with the intention of gaining some benefit.
Example: She’s always bringing gifts to the boss in an attempt to curry favor and get promoted.
Also Read: Understanding Idioms: Examples and Meanings
Boils Down To
The idiom “boils down to” means to be summarized or simplified to the most important elements.
Example: The argument between the two sides ultimately boils down to a disagreement over money and control.
Boil Over
The idiom “boil over” refers to a situation where emotions or tensions become so intense that they cannot be controlled, often resulting in an outburst of emotions.
Example: Sarah finally boiled over and confronted her boss about the unfair workload.
Spice Things Up
This idiom means to add excitement or interest to something. It originated from the idea of adding spices to food to enhance its flavour.
Example: Let’s spice things up by trying a new recipe tonight!
In a Pickle
In a pickle is an idiom that means to be in a difficult situation. It holds its origin in the practice of pickling vegetables, which takes time and effort.
Example: I’m in a pickle because I promised to cook dinner for ten people tonight, but I only have enough ingredients for four.
Cook the Books
This idiom means to manipulate financial records for personal gain. The phrase ‘Cook the books‘ originated from the practice of using two sets of accounting books, one for the tax authorities and one for personal use.
Example: The CEO was caught cooking the books to inflate the company’s profits.
Also Read: 10 Best Idioms for Love to Express Your Heart
Eat Humble Pie
This idiom means to admit one’s mistakes and apologize. In popular culture, it is a common belief that the origin of Eating humble pie is from serving humble pie, a dish made with animal innards, to lower-class people who couldn’t afford meat.
Example: After realising his mistake, he had to eat humble pie and apologise to his colleagues.
Cut Corners
This idiomatic phrase means to do something quickly and cheaply without following proper procedures. It originated from the practice of cutting corners while cooking to save time and effort.
Example: We can’t cut corners when it comes to food safety.
Simmer Down
The idiom ‘Simmer down’ means to calm down or relax. In other words, it refers to simmering food on low heat to cook it slowly and evenly.
Example: You need to simmer down and stop getting so worked up over small things.
Also Read: Idioms for IELTS
Have Bigger Fish to Fry
When you say you have bigger fish to fry, it means you have more important things to do. To elaborate, it practice of cooking fish, where larger fish required more attention and effort to cook properly.
Example: I can’t worry about this small issue right now; I have bigger fish to fry.
List of Other Idioms for Cooking with Meaning
Some other idioms for cooking are listed below for your easy reference:
| Idiom for Crying | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A piece of cake | Something very easy to do |
| Bite off more than you can chew | To take on more than you can handle |
| Butter someone up | To flatter someone in order to get something from them |
| Cook the books | To falsify financial records |
| Cut corners | To do something in a less thorough or careful way in order to save time or money |
| Easy as pie | Something very easy to do (similar to ‘a piece of cake’) |
| Egg someone on | To encourage someone to do something, especially something foolish |
| Full plate | To have a lot to deal with |
| Have your cake and eat it too | To want to enjoy the benefits of something without accepting the drawbacks |
| In a pickle | To be in a difficult situation |
| On a roll | To be successful or enjoying a period of good luck |
| Over easy / Over medium / Over hard | How you like your eggs cooked (sunny side up, slightly runny yolk, fully cooked yolk) |
| Spice things up | To make something more exciting or interesting |
| Spill the beans | To reveal a secret |
| Stir the pot | To deliberately cause trouble or make a situation more tense |
| Too many cooks spoil the broth | When too many people try to give advice or help with a task, it can make things worse |
| Whip something up | To quickly prepare a meal |
| Bring Home the Bacon | Someone who is earning a lot of money. |
| Half Baked | Insufficiently planned or developed; not thought out. |
| Cool as a Cucumber | Someone calm and composed. |
| Something’s Cooking Up | To be successful or enjoy a period of good luck |
| Cry over spilt milk | To get upset over something that has happened and that you cannot change it! |
Read more blogs on Idioms and Proverbs here
FAQs
Here are some cooking idioms and phrases: Boil over, Boils Down To, Curry Favour, Grill Someone. Additionally, some other cooking idioms and phrases are Piece of Cake, Apple of my Eye, Icing on the cake etc.
There are multiple cooking expressions to show one’s feelings. Cooking idioms do not mean what they say. For example, the water boiling in the cattle. In this sentence ‘boiling’ is the cooking expression.
Here are a few examples:
“To cook someone’s goose”: To ruin someone’s plans or chances of success.
“To be in a stew”: To be in a state of anxiety or confusion.
“To have too many irons in the fire”: To be involved in too many activities at once.
“To bring home the bacon”: To earn money to support one’s family.
“To boil down to”: To simplify or summarize something.
Naturally: Try to incorporate them smoothly into your speech, just as you would use any other common expression.
Context: Make sure the idiom fits the situation and is understood by your listener.
Variety: Don’t overuse the same idioms. Explore a wider range to add color and interest to your language.
“To simmer down”: To become calmer or less angry.
“To stir the pot”: To cause trouble or excitement.
Online dictionaries: Many online dictionaries, such as Merriam-Webster and Oxford Dictionaries, include sections on idioms.
Idiom dictionaries: Specialized idiom dictionaries provide comprehensive lists and explanations.
Books and articles: Many books and articles on language and communication feature sections on idioms.
These idioms for cooking add colour and depth to our language. They are used in everyday conversations and reflect the rich history and culture of cooking. Hopefully, you have understood their meaning to appreciate the beauty of language even more. To read more about idioms you can check our page at Leverage Edu.
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