20 vegetable idioms
Idioms are a large part of the English language – they are phrases or expressions with meanings that aren’t immediately clear from the words themselves. This often makes them a difficult part of language learning. Here are 20 vegetable idioms for you to explore!
1. Cool as a cucumber
This idiom describes someone who is calm and composed, especially in stressful situations.
In the heated debate, the diplomat remained as cool as a cucumber, delivering her points with calm assurance.
2. In a pickle
This phrase means to be in a difficult situation, which is just as difficult to get out of as getting out of a tightly packed pickle jar.
After missing his flight, Greg found himself in a pickle, scrambling to rebook and rearrange his meetings.
3. Full of beans
This idiom describes someone who is energetic and lively.
The attendees, full of beans, eagerly engaged in the conference’s breakout sessions, their enthusiasm palpable.
4. As thick as pea soup
The idiom “as thick as pea soup” is often used to describe something that is dense or difficult to navigate, comparing it to the heavy texture of pea soup.
The bureaucratic red tape surrounding the application process was as thick as pea soup, leaving us frustrated and unsure of how to proceed.
5. Spill the beans
This idiom means to reveal a secret, likening the act to beans falling out of a container, spilling out the hidden truth.
Under pressure from reporters, the politician spilled the beans on the controversial policy change.
6. Carrot and stick
This idiom refers to a reward-and-punishment approach to motivation, it shows the use of both incentives (carrots) and consequences (sticks) to influence behavior.
The company’s new incentive program took a carrot and stick approach, rewarding sales targets while penalizing missed quotas.
7. Small potatoes
This idiom talks about something that’s not important, or not valuable, by comparing it to small, modest potatoes.
In the grand scheme of things, the minor delay was small potatoes compared to the project’s successful completion.
8. Like two peas in a pod
This idiom is used to describe two people who are very similar, like two peas in a single pod that look exactly the same.
The co-founders, like two peas in a pod, seamlessly balanced each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
9. Hot potato
This idiom describes a controversial or sensitive topic that is difficult to deal with, just like a hot potato that’s uncomfortable to hold.
The controversial policy became a hot potato among lawmakers, creating a divide on both sides of the aisle.
10. Two carrots in one pot
A less common idiom, it shows that two people (or more) have a good relationship with each other very often also complementing each other.
The business merger, akin to two carrots in one pot, combined strengths to create a thriving enterprise.
11. Couch potato
This idiom refers to someone who is lazy, doesn’t do anything and perhaps even sits on the couch all day.
Despite her busy schedule, Linda transformed into a couch potato during her rare free time, indulging in movies and snacks.
12. To veg out
This idiom, just like the previous one, suggests not doing anything productive. This one, however, has a less negative connotation. If you’re vegging out, you’re relaxing.
After a taxing week, Sam decided to veg out, savoring an evening of relaxation and leisure reading.
13. Know your onions
This idiom means to know a lot about a certain subject, understand it very well like understanding the layers of an onion.
The consultant’s extensive knowledge in her field proved she knew her onions, guiding the project with expertise.
14. A bad apple
This phrase describes someone who causes trouble or is dishonest, and their behavior can negatively affect others, just like how one bad apple can ruin the whole bunch.
The company’s reputation was tarnished by a bad apple among its ranks, resulting in a comprehensive review.
15. Carrot on a stick
This idiom refers to something that is used to motivate someone like a carrot dangled in front of a donkey to make it keep walking.
The prospect of a promotion served as a carrot on a stick, driving the employee to exceed her goals.
16. Fall off the turnip truck
This idiom is often used when someone is being naive or is inexperienced.
His seasoned demeanor belied any notion that he had recently fallen off the turnip truck.
17. Like trying to grow potatoes on Mars
This idiom talks about something that is a pointless or impossible task, just like growing vegetables on the planet Mars.
Expecting the project to succeed without sufficient resources felt like trying to grow potatoes on Mars.
18. Don’t know beans about it
This idiom shows that someone doesn’t know anything about a certain subject.
Despite his confidence, the new recruit didn’t know beans about the intricate coding needed for the project.
19. Cool beans
The idiom “cool beans” is a casual way of saying you agree or approve. It’s like saying “awesome” or “great”.
After successfully implementing a new marketing strategy, the team was pleased to see their profits rise. The CEO gave them a nod of approval, saying, “Cool beans, everyone! Let’s keep this momentum going.”
20. Pea brain
This idiom suggests that someone is not that intelligent because their brain is as small as a pea.
Despite multiple attempts, the project’s overly simplistic design showed that the team behind it was full of pea brains, lacking the creativity needed to produce something innovative.
