Apple Idioms
Apples aren’t just tasty—they’ve inspired many colorful English sayings! From talking about someone special to comparing very different things, apple idioms add flavor to our language. Here are 10 common apple idioms.
Apple of my eye
Someone you love very much or find very special.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree
Children often resemble their parents in behavior or character.
Bad apple
A person who has a negative influence on others.
One rotten apple spoils the barrel
A single bad person or thing can ruin the whole group.
Upset the apple cart
To spoil or ruin a plan or arrangement.
Compare apples and oranges
To compare two things that are very different and not really comparable.
As American as apple pie
Very typically American.
Apple-polisher
Someone who flatters or tries to please someone (usually a teacher or boss) to get an advantage.
A bad/bitter apple
Sometimes used like “bad apple,” but emphasizes the negativity.
Apple in the teacher’s basket
(Similar to “apple-polisher”) Someone who does extra nice things for a teacher to get good grades.
