Dictionary

bring home the bacon en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Australia) audio

Meanings

1. To win or succeed.
   • I am going to do my bit, Corky, and it may be that my bit will turn out to be just the trifle that brings home the bacon. 1924, P.G. Wodehouse, The World of Ukbridge:
   • Brown had pushed the champion very hard for first place the previous year, and to many of his supporters, this year he could "bring home the bacon". 2002, Joseph Andre Ryan, The Tely 10: A History of Newfoundland's Premier Road Race, 1922-2000:
2. (idiomatic) To have employment which provides remuneration to satisfy the basic needs of oneself and one's family.
   • It's just that I think I'm going to lose my job at the studio and am damned scared of not being able to bring home the bacon. 2005, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul:
   • I have to say I like being the man, bringing home the bacon. 2009 October 21, Stuart Jeffries, “Why don't more dads work part-time?”, in The Guardian:
   • No one brought home the bacon better than Stevens. 2008 November 22, “In Alaska, Stevens' long reign is over”, in Los Angeles Times:

Forms

Relateds

keep the lights on · keep the wolf from the door · keep the home fires burning

Synonyms

put food on the table · bring home the bacon · put food on the table · keep the home fires burning · make ends meet · earn one's corn · put bread on the table · triumph · earn one's crust · put bread on the table · earn a living · carry one's weight · walk off with · earn one's keep

Translations (20)

cmn 挣钱养家 (to make a living) · nl zijn eigen broek ophouden (to make a living) · cmn 謀生 /谋生 (to make a living) · pl przynosić mamuta do domu (to make a living) · es traer el pan a casa (to make a living) · fr gagner son pain (to make a living) · hy ապրուստ վաստակել (to make a living) · cmn 掙錢養家 (to make a living) · it portare a casa il pane (to make a living) · pt chegar ao fim do mês (to make a living) · ru зарабо́тать на жизнь (to make a living) · fi tienata (to make a living) · es ganarse la vida (to make a living) · fr faire bouillir la marmite (to make a living) · ja 食べていく (to make a living) · ja 生計を立てる (to make a living) · ru зараба́тывать на жизнь (to make a living) · it mettere la pagnotta sul tavolo (to make a living) · fr faire bouillir la popotte (to make a living) · fr mettre du pain sur la table (to make a living)