Let’s Practice English Idioms! XI: Expressions containing Food & Drinks

What’s the biggest obstacle in your journey of exploring English? It could be grammar, pronunciation, or huge amount of vocabulary that seems to be endless. Above all, idiomatic expressions that have hidden, figurative meanings. Without understanding the cultural background or conventional usage of idioms, one can hardly imagine what those words are supposed to mean.

Using the given list of idioms and your imagination, try to choose a proper expression to fill in the blank of each sentence below.

a.   milk somebody or something for money/ information

b.   down the hatch

c.   a pick-me-up

d.   Here’s mud in your eye!

e.   not for all the tea in China

f.    binge and purge

g.   bitter pill to swallow

h.   can’t stomach something

i.     either feast or famine

j.    have a sweet tooth

1. I hate those unscrupulous people that have been ____________________________ the welfare system for all it’s worth.

2. The late princess of Wales, Diana had eating disorder. She had been _____________________ and _________________________ for many years and was rail thin back in those days.

3. Are you serious? I’m, not __________________________________________,  going to wear this revealing dress to the party! It is NOT my style at all.

4. Joe has been depressed for the last couple of weeks since he got laid off. I guess he needs some kind of a  ________________________________, such as a hearty homemade stew or a short retreat to Bahamas.

5. I don’t like the way your friend Hanks says. He always sounds like a stuck-up person. I literally can’t __________________________ his arrogant attitude.

6. Enough talk! I’m so hungry and it’s time to _________________________, everyone!

7. Mrs. Kwan has a ______________________________, and she always finds it very challenging to be on a diet.

8. Dion was suffering from a die-hard eating disorder for years. That means, she’s been ______________________ and _____________________ for a long time, which wreaked havoc on her overall health.

9. It is a _________________________________________ , but I have to admit that I should forgive his mistake this time.

10. Laura and Alan, here’s _____________________________________________________! I hope and pray that both of you will always be happy and healthy!

Clues

a. to milk somebody for something: (verb) to pressure someone into giving information or money

b. to down the hatch: (verb) to swallow/ drink/ eat something

c. a pick-me-up: (noun) something that you have or do to make you feel better

d. Here’s mud in your eye!: (phrase) Drink up! (Something that you say in order to wish success or happiness to someone who is drinking with you)

e. not for all the tea in China: (adjective) not for anything

f. binge and purge: (verb) to overeat and then to vomit

g. bitter pill to swallow: (noun) something unpleasant that one must accept or endure

h. can’t stomach something: (verb) to dislike or hate someone or something/ cannot endure or accept

i. either feast or famine: (noun) either too much or not enough of something

j. have a sweet tooth: (verb) to have a desire to eat sweet foods

Answer Keys

1. a. milking

2. f. binging and purging     

3. e. for all the tea in China

4. c. pick-me-up

5. h. stomach

6. b. down the hatch

7. j. sweet tooth

8. f. bingeing, purging

9. g. bitter pill to swallow

10. d. mud in your eye!