Bread Idioms

Several words have found themselves used in a number of phrases. We looked at 'work' last time and this time it's 'bread'.

Breadwinner is recorded as early as 1719, but the slang term ‘bread’ for money is not recorded before 1940. Clearly the latter comes from ‘breadwinner’, and a reference to bread being the staff of life. Note the Latin panis and French pain, both meaning ‘bread’, have a link to the English ‘pantry’ which was where bread was stored.

Bread an circuses, first seen in English in 1914, comes from the Latin where Duas tantum res anxius optal, Panem et circenes comments on how the ruling classes can keep the populace happy by providing them with food and entertainment.

Bread and butter, a phrase describing one’s most basic needs, is first seen in the 1620s.

Bread basket, aside from a basket to hold bread, is a slang term for the belly, first recorded in 1753. Slightly earlier, dating from around 1590, is another slang term for the belly in ‘pudding house’.

Monkey bread, which is not bread but fruit from the baobab tree, is first seen in a document dated 1789.

Breadwinner, the chief earner, is first seen in 1821.