These cooking expressions are commonly used to convey ideas and situations, often adding a bit of flavor to everyday conversations.
Cooking Expressions
- Cook the Books
Meaning: Alter financial records dishonestly
Example: The accountant was caught cooking the books. - Boil Over
Meaning: Become unmanageable or uncontrollable
Example: Tensions boiled over during the heated debate. - Simmer Down
Meaning: Calm down or become less intense
Example: The teacher asked the kids to simmer down. - Grill Someone
Meaning: Question someone intensely
Example: The detective grilled the suspect for hours. - Too Many Cooks Spoil the Broth
Meaning: Too many people working together can ruin things
Example: They missed the deadline because too many cooks spoiled the broth. - Burn to a Crisp
Meaning: Burn something completely
Example: She left the toast too long, and it was burned to a crisp. - Cut the Mustard
Meaning: Meet expectations or standards
Example: The new intern couldn’t cut the mustard. - Bring Home the Bacon
Meaning: Earn money to support a family
Example: He works hard to bring home the bacon. - Eat Someone’s Lunch
Meaning: Outperform or defeat someone
Example: The new tech company ate their competitor’s lunch. - Bake Into the Cake
Meaning: Be an inherent or permanent feature
Example: Flexibility is baked into the company’s culture. - Egg on Someone’s Face
Meaning: Appear foolish or embarrassed
Example: He had egg on his face after the failed presentation. - Half-Baked Idea
Meaning: An idea that is not fully developed
Example: His plan to renovate the house was a half-baked idea. - Put All Eggs in One Basket
Meaning: Rely heavily on one thing
Example: Investing all your savings in one stock is like putting all your eggs in one basket. - Blow Hot and Cold
Meaning: Frequently change opinions or feelings
Example: He blows hot and cold about the new project. - Out of the Frying Pan into the Fire
Meaning: Move from a bad situation to a worse one
Example: Quitting the job without a plan was like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. - Stew in One’s Own Juice
Meaning: Suffer the consequences of one’s actions
Example: Let him stew in his own juice after that mistake. - Sell Like Hotcakes
Meaning: Sell very quickly
Example: The new phones are selling like hotcakes. - Bread and Butter Issue
Meaning: A fundamental or important concern
Example: Affordable healthcare is a bread and butter issue. - Kettle of Fish
Meaning: A different matter or situation
Example: Dealing with kids is a whole different kettle of fish. - Flip One’s Lid
Meaning: Lose one’s temper or become very excited
Example: He flipped his lid when he found out.
