bread\ and\ butter

bread\ and\ butter
I. n. phr.
the usual needs of life; food, shelter, and clothing.

Ed earned his bread and butter as a bookkeeper, but added a little jam by working with a dance band on weekends.

II. adj
thanking someone for entertainment or a nice visit; thank-you.

After spending the weekend as a guest in the Jones' home, Alice wrote the Joneses the usual bread-and-butter letter.

See: bread-and-butter letter III. interj. informal
Spoken to prevent bad luck that you think might result from some action.

We'd say "Bread and butter!" when we had passed on opposite sides of a tree.


Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". . 1997.

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