THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
Bring home the bacon
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
To earn money that supports a household or family.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- We both work part-time to bring home the bacon.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.
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Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
We both work part-time to ________.
Show the answer
Bring home the bacon — To earn money that supports a household or family.
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Make it yours
Write one sentence using “Bring home the bacon” about your own life.
Check your sentence
Does your sentence match this meaning?
To earn money that supports a household or family.
Compare: We both work part-time to bring home the bacon.
Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.
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GO DEEPER
More ways to understand and use it
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When to use it
Use it informally when talking about earning a living for a family. It can sound playful, and it can refer to any household member.
More examples in context
- Her evening shifts help bring home the bacon while her partner studies.
- He joked that the new job would let him bring home the bacon without such a long commute.
Usage note
This lesson focuses on earning a household income. It does not imply that earning money is the only valuable contribution to a family.
A short conversation
A: How will you manage while you study?
B: My partner will bring home the bacon for a while, and I will handle more of the chores.
A: It sounds as though you have discussed the arrangement.
One more practice question
What does “She brings home the bacon” mean here?
A. She must literally buy bacon for every meal.
B. She earns money to help support the household.
Check your answer
B. The idiom describes earning a living, not a required food purchase.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.