put food on the table en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
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(idiomatic) To provide enough money to cover basic necessities.
The locals bemoan the tourist crush and at the same time welcome it because it puts food on the table.
2005, Darwin Porter et al., Frommer's Italy 2005:The middle class does not consider itself free form the concern of putting food on the table.
1996, Werner Peters, Society on the Run, page 81:I don't care what I do. If it pays the bills and puts food on the table, I'm not bothered.
2009, “My Laid-off Life”, in The Guardian, 15 Jun 09:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| putting food on the table | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| puts food on the table | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| put food on the table | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| put food on the table | Tense=Past | lexicographic |
Synonyms
keep the home fires burning · earn one's corn · earn one's keep · carry one's weight · earn a living · bring home the bacon · put food on the table · put bread on the table · earn one's crust · put bread on the table
Translations (7)
cmn 養家糊口 /养家糊口 (provide enough money to cover basic necessities) · fr faire bouillir la marmite (provide enough money to cover basic necessities) · fr mettre du pain sur la table (provide enough money to cover basic necessities) · pl zapewnić byt (provide enough money to cover basic necessities) · pl zapewniać byt (provide enough money to cover basic necessities) · fi tuoda leipä pöytään (provide enough money to cover basic necessities) · fr nourrir son homme (provide enough money to cover basic necessities)