11 Idioms Using Vegetables

11 Idioms Using Vegetables

Hi English learners. Welcome to a new lesson. We are going to look at 11 idioms using vegetables.

Here is the list:

1. As thick as pea soup
2. Carrot and stick
3. Cool as a cucumber
4. Couch potato
5. Full of beans
6. Hot potato
7. In a pickle
8. Like two peas in a pod
9. Hold out/offer an olive branch
10. Spill the beans
11. Small potatoes

As thick as pea soup

Meaning: an American idiom, that refers to something very thick or heavy. It is often used to describe fog.

• It’s warm today but the humidity is as thick as pea soup.
• No wonder the flight was cancelled. The fog is as thick as pea soup.

Carrot-and-stick

Meaning: the idiom refers to a method of persuasion when you offer someone both treat and punishment in order to make them do something.

• The manager applied a carrot-and-stick approach to the problem. He offered the employees a reward and told them they’d be punished if they didn’t improve their communication with the customers.
• A carrot-and-stick method is usually very effective with children.

(As) cool as a cucumber

Meaning: when someone is calm in a stressful situation.

• While people were in panic after the earthquake, Garreth was as cool as a cucumber.
• When in an emergency, everyone must keep as cool as a cucumber.

Couch potato

Meaning: the idiom refers to a person who watches a lot of TV, eats too much junk food and drinks alcohol.

• After he got unemployed, Martin turned into a couch potato.
• Moira is such a couch potato at weekends. 

Full of beans

Meaning: refers to a person who is energetic and lively.

• Although in his 60s, James was usually full of beans in the morning.
• I feel so full of beans when I do yoga.

Hot potato

Meaning: a situation or an issue no one wants to talk about because of too many arguments or disagreements.

• The issue of abortion is a hot potato in the country. No one wants to talk about it.
• The government should find a way to deal with that hot potato.

In a pickle

Meaning: to be in a difficult situation.

• We are in a pickle. We spent all the money and we won’t get paid for another two weeks.
• I don’t like going downtown. I’m always in a pickle because I can’t find a place to park.

Like two peas in a pod

Meaning: used to say for people or things that are similar.

• The twins were sitting at the bench like two peas in a pod.
• Susie’s never met Sara’s sister before but she recognized her because they were like two peas in a pod.

Hold out/offer an olive branch

Meaning: use the expression to say that you want to end a disagreement with someone.

• The management of the company was holding an olive branch to the strikers.
• The last time we had an argument my wife offered an olive branch first.

Spill the beans

Meaning: to tell a secret.

• We made a surprise party for Brenda but someone must have spilt the beans because she found out.
• Louis can’t keep a secret. He always spills the beans.

Small potatoes

Meaning; a small, insignificant amount, especially when comparing things.

• Although our house is quite big, it is small potatoes compared to her house.
• My business is a small potatoes compared to some other businesses.

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