Eating Idioms

1. To bite of more than you can chew.

Meaning : To take on more than you are capable of doing.
Example : Sometimes Lynne thinks she has bitten off more than she can chew running the Network.

2. To bite your tongue.

Meaning : When you stop yourself from saying something because you realise it might cause offense or be hurtful.
Example : Barack Obama said he bit his tongue many times during his primary fight against Hillary Clinton.

3. Chew the fat

Meaning : To chat.
Example : “I enjoy meeting my friends to chew the fat.”

4. To bite of more than you can chew.

Meaning : To take on more than you are capable of doing.
Example : Sometimes Lynne thinks running the Network is more than she can chew.

5. Coffee break

Meaning : To take a short break from work to rest and drink coffee, smoke a cigarette etc..
Example : “I usually have a coffee break around 10.30 am.”

6. Many a slip twixt cup and lip

Meaning : Used to imply that even when the outcome of an event seems certain, things can still go wrong.
Example : “They thought they had the contract all sewn up, but the client didn’t sign in the end. There’s many a slip twixt cup and lip.”

7. “Cup of tea.”

Meaning : Used to describe something one enjoys or does well.
Example : “I really enjoyed the film, it was just my cup of tea.”

8. Dish the dirt

Meaning : To spread gossip about someone.
Example : “He offered to dish the dirt on her, but I told him I don’t listen to gossip.”

9. Go Dutch

Meaning : To share the bill for a meal or a night out. Each person pays for what they have eaten or the bill is simply split.
Example : “It’s usually better to go Dutch on a first date.”

10. Eat dirt

Meaning : To act humble, accept another`s insult or bad treatment.
Example : “He bullied his employees and made them eat dirt.”

Meaning : To be humbled, admit one`s error and apologize.
Example : “She had to eat humble pie when he proved she was wrong.”

Meaning : To have bad table manners.
Example : “He has terrible table manners, he eats like a pig.”

Meaning : To have a good appetite.
Example : “She has a very healthy appetite, she eats like a horse.”

Meaning : To take back something one has said, admit something is not true.
Example : “I’d told him off but had to eat my words, when he proved I was wrong.”

Meaning : To do/eat/use something until it is gone and still not want to give it up.
Example : “He was never at home, but was surprised when she left him. He always wanted to have his cake and eat it.”

Meaning : To behave crazily or madly.
Example : “I always thought she acted strangely, she was totally out to lunch.”

17. To have a full plate. or To have a lot on your plate.

Meaning : To have a lot to do.
Example : “Between work and the web site I have a full plate.”

18. To want someone’s head on a platter.

Meaning : To be very angry with someone.
Example : “When he read his biography, he demanded the author’s head on a platter.”

But…

It can mean to be treated in a way that discourages independent thought or action, as by overindulgence or provided with knowledge or information in an oversimplified way.
Example : She refused to be spoon-fed English vocabulary. She learnt to be an independent learner.

20. To stuff your face.

Meaning : To eat a lot, very quickly and greedily. (negative)
Example : “He’s always stuffing his face. No wonder he’s so fat.”

21. Suck up

Meaning : To be really nice to someone in order to gain favour.
Example : “I never liked her, she was always sucking up to the boss.”

22. Tea break

Meaning : To take a short break from work to rest and drink tea, smoke a cigarette etc..
Example : “Do you want to come with me for a cigarette on our tea break?”