Meat and potatoes

BusinessAmerican

Sep 7

Written By Tracy

What is an idiom? An idiom is a phrase or expression. They are tricky to understand as their meanings do not directly relate to the individual words used in the phrase.

Definition:

The English idiom "meat and potatoes" refers to the basic or most important parts of something. It highlights what is essential or fundamental to a topic or task.

Origin:

The idiom originates from American English and comes from traditional meals, where "meat and potatoes" were considered the main part of a simple, hearty diet. It symbolizes something plain but essential, without any extra or fancy ingredients.

Examples:

The idiom is used today in a variety of contexts to emphasize focusing on the basics or the most important aspects of something. It’s often used in business when talking about activities or priorities.

Here are examples of how the idiom can be used in sentences:

Business context:

"Let's skip the fancy ideas and focus on the meat and potatoes of the project. Meeting the deadline."

"The presentation was flashy, but it missed the meat and potatoes. How the product actually works."

Learning context:

"In this class, we’ll focus on the meat and potatoes of English grammar. Verbs and sentence structure."

"The teacher explained the meat and potatoes of the topic before diving into the details."

Lifestyle context:

"He loves gourmet food, but his meat and potatoes diet is what keeps him happy every day."

"We had a fancy appetizer, but the meat and potatoes of the meal was the steak and mashed potatoes."

A black-and-white cartoon of two businessmen in suits. One holds a small smartphone, while the other displays a large, detailed tablet, symbolizing a focus on essential features.

"I don’t need lot’s of fancy gadgets, just the meat and potatoes of a good small cellphone”

Is there a British equivalent?

A British equivalent to the American idiom "meat and potatoes" could be "bread and butter."

In British English, "bread and butter" is commonly used to refer to the basic or most important aspects of something, especially a person's livelihood or the fundamental parts of a job or activity.

For example:

"Customer service is the bread and butter of our business."

"Let's focus on the bread and butter of this issue."

While the wording differs, both idioms emphasize simplicity and importance.