Not my cup of tea! Food sayings explained.
Are English phrases your cup of tea? Or do you make a dog’s dinner out of them? Here are some explanations of how to use food-related sayings.
Not my Cup of Tea
Assuming (correctly) that everyone in Britain loves tea, this phrase is used to show when you do not want something, or don’t want to do something.
” John, would you like to play tennis with us someday?”
” Oh, it’s not my cup of tea! I prefer to play football.”
A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips!
This is a typical saying of a middle-aged woman who is trying to convince herself to stick to a diet. It’s probable that she will say it under protest!
” Mary, would you like another piece of cake?”
” No, thank you! A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips!”
Full of Beans
To be ‘full of beans’ means to have a lot of energy. It can be used for adults but is more often attributed to children.
” Wow, Sophie is full of beans today!”
Dog’s Dinner
This British term is synonymous to a ‘mess’. This is commonly a physical mess, but could also be a metaphorical mess or disaster.
” I tried to make a carrot cake last night, but it came out a dog’s dinner.”
“The government is making a dog’s dinner of the economy!”
Waffle
Waffles are a type of dessert made of a sweet batter cooked between two hot plates. They are originally from Belgium, however, they are popularly consumed today in the United States with syrup. In Britain, waffles can be found, however, if someone refers to ‘waffle’ in a context unrelated to food. It is probably because they are talking about ‘long, boring, useless information‘. Also, waffling can be used as a verb for using many words to say little.
” I’ve read the first five pages of this report, and it’s nothing but waffle!”
” Jane, stop waffling, and get to the point!”
Pear-Shaped
Similar to a dog’s dinner, to say that something has ‘gone pear-shaped’ is to say that it has gone wrong. This phrase will always have a form of the verb ‘to go’ preceding it.
” Alice realised that her plan had gone pear-shaped. “
Takes the cake
If something ‘takes the cake’ then it wins! However, more often than not, this phrase is used to show the winner of something negative.
“I’ve seen some poorly designed buildings in my life, but this takes the cake!”
TEST YOURSELF
Choose one of the following expressions to fill the gaps.
Not my cup of tea A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips! Full of beans Dog’s dinner Waffle Pear-shaped Takes the cake
- Wow, Tommy is running all around the house! He is really ______________ today, isn’t he?
- Oh dear, I have made a complete___________ of this mushroom pie.
- “Why won’t you eat any pizza?” asked Betty.
“______________________________________________! ” replied Anne. - This newspaper is rubbish. It is full of _______!
- I’ve drunk some bad wines, but this ________________!
- “Don’t you listen to heavy metal music, Marianne?”
“_________________________!” - “Bad food, no drinks, and noone’s dancing – this party is going_______________!”
ANSWERS
- Wow, Tommy is running all around the house! He is really full of beans today, isn’t he?
- Oh dear, I have made a complete dog’s dinner of this mushroom pie.
- “Why won’t you eat any pizza?” asked Betty.
“A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips!” replied Anne. - This newspaper is rubbish. It is full of waffle!
- I’ve drunk some bad wines, but this takes the cake!
- “Don’t you listen to heavy metal music, Marianne?”
“It’s not my cup of tea!” - “Bad food, no drinks, and no one’s dancing – this party is going pear-shaped!”
How many did you get right? Do you have any questions about these food-related terms or any others? Let us know in the comments section below!
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