Start learning English. See more >
ELLA
Eating Idioms
English blogVocabulary

15 Eating Idioms

3 min read

Eating Idioms and What They Mean

People enjoy food, meals, and the rituals around eating, so it makes sense that many expressions are built from eating-related actions. Some of them really do describe eating habits, while others use the language of food to express pressure, regret, excitement, or strong emotions. Eating idioms blend real eating with figurative ideas, creating simple images that express much more than the words suggest.

Bite off more than you can chew

Take on more responsibility than you can handle.

He realized he had bitten off more than he could chew when the project became overwhelming.
She bit off more than she could chew by agreeing to plan three events at once.

Eat out of someone’s hand

Be easily controlled, influenced, or charmed by someone.

After a few compliments, he was eating out of her hand.
The crowd loved the performer and was eating out of his hand by the end of the show.

Bite your tongue

Stop yourself from saying something.

She had to bite her tongue to avoid arguing.
He wanted to complain, but he bit his tongue and stayed quiet.

Chew something over

Think about something carefully.

He asked for time to chew it over before deciding.
She spent the weekend chewing over the offer.

Eat someone alive

Criticize or attack someone strongly.

The critics ate the movie alive.
The coach warned the players that the opposing team would eat them alive if they didn’t prepare.

Spoon-feed someone

Give too much help; explain everything without letting them think.

The teacher refused to spoon-feed the students the answers.
He wanted her to spoon-feed every detail, but she expected him to think for himself.

Fork out

Pay money unwillingly.

They had to fork out a lot of money for the repairs.
He didn’t want to fork out for a new phone, but his old one stopped working.

English? No problem

Stuff your face

Eat a lot very quickly. (Informal, playful.)

They stuffed their faces with pizza after the game.
He was so hungry he stuffed his face as soon as he got home.

Pig out

Eat too much; overeat in an uncontrolled way.

They pigged out on snacks during the movie.
She admitted she had pigged out at the buffet.

Eat like a bird

Eat very little.

She eats like a bird and never finishes her meals.
He said he eats like a bird, but he still ordered a large plate.

Eat like a horse

Eat a lot.

After practice, he eats like a horse.
She joked that she eats like a horse whenever she’s stressed.

Chew someone out

Scold someone angrily.

The manager chewed him out for being late again.
She chewed out her brother for breaking the vase.

Eat your words

Admit you were wrong.

He had to eat his words after the idea succeeded.
She confidently said he’d fail, but she ate her words when he won.

Eat humble pie

Apologize or admit a mistake after being proven wrong.

After the argument, he had to eat humble pie and apologize.
The prediction was wrong, and the experts were forced to eat humble pie.

Eat it up

Enjoy something completely or believe something eagerly.

The audience ate it up and cheered for more.
He told them a wild story, and they ate it up without question.

Start learning English with ELLA

You may also like

Phrasal verbs with ASK
English blogVocabulary

Collocations with ASK

Collocations with ASK Collocations with ask are common word combinations that help you sound more natural in English. Here are the most useful collocations with ask and their meanings. Ask for advice To request help or...

2 min read
Phrasal verbs with CATCH
English blogVocabulary

Collocations with CATCH

Collocations with CATCH Collocations with catch show up often in daily English and have meanings that go beyond simply holding something. The verb catch is also used to talk about getting on transport, becoming sick...

2 min read
New Year Idioms
English blogVocabulary

10 New Year Idioms

New Year Idioms and What They Mean A new year often feels like a fresh doorway—one that invites reflection, motivation, and the desire to make changes. People set goals, rethink old habits, and look for ways to move...

3 min read

Subskrybuj | YouTube