spill the beans
To reveal a secret, often accidentally.
Example: Who spilled the beans about the engagement?
B114 words · Intermediate
Food Idioms vocabulary — B1
Food idioms for talking about secrets, trouble and preferences, with phrases like spill the beans, in a pickle and not my cup of tea.
14 questions
Words in this set
14in a pickle
In a difficult or awkward situation.
Example:
We're really in a pickle — the car broke down miles from home.
a bad egg
A dishonest or unreliable person.
Example:
Everyone in the family trusted him, except they didn't realise he was a bad egg.
the icing on the cake
An extra good thing added to a situation that was already pleasing.
Example:
Winning the trophy was the icing on the cake after a great season.
have your cake and eat it too
To want two things that cannot both happen at the same time.
Example:
You can't quit your job and still expect the same salary — you can't have your cake and eat it too.
not my cup of tea
Something that is not to your personal taste or liking.
Example:
Horror films are really not my cup of tea.
sell like hot cakes
To be bought very quickly because of high demand.
Example:
The new phone is selling like hot cakes.
go bananas
To suddenly become very excited, angry, or act in a wild way.
Example:
The crowd went bananas when the home team scored.
go cold turkey
To stop doing something, especially something you are addicted to, suddenly and completely.
Example:
He decided to go cold turkey and quit smoking overnight.
the world is your oyster
You have the freedom and opportunity to do or achieve anything you want.
Example:
You've graduated — the world is your oyster now.
chew the fat
To have a long friendly conversation.
Example:
They would chew the fat on that bench every afternoon.
take it with a pinch of salt
To not completely believe something.
Example:
Anything he says about the war you should take it with a pinch of salt.
half-baked
/ˈhæfˌbeɪkt/Not properly thought through.
Example:
It was a half-baked plan and it failed in the first week.
in hot water
In trouble.
Example:
He was in hot water with the head teacher by nine o'clock.
