Thanksgiving is a holiday where families come together. People eat turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. They also talk, laugh, and share what they are thankful for. It is a time to feel happy and kind.
There are also fun sayings people use during this holiday. These sayings are called idioms. Idioms are phrases that mean something different than the words used. In this article, we will learn about some Thanksgiving idioms. We will also look at what they mean and how people use them.
Idioms about Thanksgiving
1. Talk turkey
Meaning: To talk seriously
To Provide an Example: We all sat down to talk turkey about our group project. / Mom and Dad talked turkey about the family plans.
Alternative Meaning: The coach talked turkey with the team after the loss. / The teacher talked turkey when the class got too loud.
2. Stuffed to the gills
Meaning: To be very full from eating
To Provide an Example: After Thanksgiving dinner, I was stuffed to the gills. / I ate so much pie that I felt stuffed to the gills.
Alternative Meaning: My backpack was stuffed to the gills with books. / His closet was stuffed to the gills with toys.
3. Cold turkey
Meaning: To stop something suddenly
To Provide an Example: My brother quit soda cold turkey. / Dad stopped playing video games cold turkey.
Alternative Meaning: She gave up candy cold turkey after Halloween. / He stopped using his phone cold turkey for a week.
4. Turkey trot
Meaning: A fun run or walk usually held on Thanksgiving
To Provide an Example: We joined the turkey trot at the park. / My school had a turkey trot for fun.
Alternative Meaning: My aunt walks in a turkey trot every year. / The town holds a big turkey trot each Thanksgiving.
5. Gobble it up
Meaning: To eat something quickly
To Provide an Example: He gobbled up his mashed potatoes fast. / I gobbled up my pie before anyone else.
Alternative Meaning: The dog gobbled up its food. / My baby sister gobbled up her cereal.
6. Feast your eyes
Meaning: To look at something with great interest
To Provide an Example: Feast your eyes on this big turkey! / I feasted my eyes on the pretty fall leaves.
Alternative Meaning: Feast your eyes on the dessert table. / The lights on the house were something to feast your eyes on.
7. Count your blessings
Meaning: To be thankful for the good things you have
To Provide an Example: On Thanksgiving, we count our blessings. / I count my blessings when I’m with family.
Alternative Meaning: Mom said to count our blessings instead of toys. / Even on hard days, I try to count my blessings.
8. Break bread
Meaning: To share a meal with someone
To Provide an Example: We break bread with friends at Thanksgiving. / The class broke bread during a lunch party.
Alternative Meaning: We broke bread with our neighbors. / He broke bread with his team after the game.
9. Count your chickens
Meaning: Don’t expect something before it happens
To Provide an Example: I thought I’d win, but I counted my chickens too soon. / She counted her chickens before the game started.
Alternative Meaning: Don’t count your chickens before you open the gift. / He counted his chickens before the grades came in.
10. Corny joke
Meaning: A silly or old-fashioned joke
To Provide an Example: Grandpa told a corny joke at dinner. / That joke was so corny, we all groaned.
Alternative Meaning: My teacher loves corny jokes. / Dad’s corny jokes always make us laugh.
11. Gravy train
Meaning: Getting something easily with little effort
To Provide an Example: He rode the gravy train with that easy job. / They said she’s on the gravy train at school.
Alternative Meaning: I wish cleaning my room was a gravy train. / That was the gravy train of chores super easy!
12. All the trimmings
Meaning: Everything that comes with something
To Provide an Example: We had turkey with all the trimmings. / The meal had all the trimmings: stuffing, pie, and more.
Alternative Meaning: Her outfit had all the trimmings hat, shoes, scarf. / The party had all the trimmings for fun.
13. Harvest the rewards
Meaning: To get good things from hard work
To Provide an Example: He studied hard and harvested the rewards. / We cleaned the yard and harvested the rewards extra play time.
Alternative Meaning: She helped cook and harvested the rewards extra pie. / I worked on my project and harvested the rewards with an A.
14. A blessing in disguise
Meaning: Something good that looks bad at first
To Provide an Example: Missing the bus was a blessing in disguise. / The rain was a blessing in disguise it gave us time to play inside.
Alternative Meaning: The broken toy was a blessing in disguise. / Staying home turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
15. Pumpkin to talk to
Meaning: A funny way to say someone is quiet
To Provide an Example: He was quiet like a pumpkin at the table. / She was a pumpkin to talk to all day.
Alternative Meaning: My cat is a pumpkin to talk to so silent! / That shy boy is like a pumpkin in class.
16. Pass the gravy
Meaning: To share good things
To Provide an Example: Grandma said, “Pass the gravy,” and smiled big. / We passed the gravy and laughed together.
Alternative Meaning: Let’s pass the gravy of kindness this week. / He passed the gravy of good news to the class.
17. Full plate
Meaning: To have many things to do
To Provide an Example: I had a full plate with school and chores. / Mom had a full plate getting dinner ready.
Alternative Meaning: He couldn’t play his plate was full. / She had a full plate with homework and reading.
18. Butter someone up
Meaning: To say nice things to get something
To Provide an Example: He buttered up Dad to get more pie. / I buttered up my teacher before asking for help.
Alternative Meaning: She buttered up her sister to play with the toy. / They buttered up the coach to start the game.
19. The icing on the cake
Meaning: Something extra that makes things better
To Provide an Example: The pumpkin pie was the icing on the cake. / Winning the game was fun, but the snacks were the icing on the cake.
Alternative Meaning: A snow day was the icing on the cake after a short week. / Getting to watch a movie was the icing on the cake.
20. Easy as pie
Meaning: Very easy to do
To Provide an Example: Cleaning my room was easy as pie today. / The math worksheet was easy as pie.
Alternative Meaning: Making a paper turkey was easy as pie. / Helping Mom set the table was easy as pie.
21. Sweet as pumpkin pie
Meaning: Very kind or nice
To Provide an Example: My grandma is sweet as pumpkin pie. / That dog is sweet as pumpkin pie.
Alternative Meaning: She said thank you and was sweet as pumpkin pie. / My friend was sweet as pumpkin pie after sharing crayons.
22. Apple of my eye
Meaning: Someone very special
To Provide an Example: My baby brother is the apple of my eye. / Grandma says I’m the apple of her eye.
Alternative Meaning: That cat is the apple of her eye. / He calls his old truck the apple of his eye.
23. Leftovers again
Meaning: To have the same thing over and over
To Provide an Example: We had leftovers again for lunch. / Mom said, “Leftovers again,” and warmed the food.
Alternative Meaning: I wore the same shirt leftovers again! / We watched the same movie leftovers again.
24. Put all your eggs in one basket
Meaning: To depend too much on one thing
To Provide an Example: I put all my eggs in one basket with my project partner. / She put all her eggs in one basket for the contest.
Alternative Meaning: He put all his eggs in one basket for the toy sale. / Don’t put all your eggs in one basket when picking games.
25. Don’t cry over spilled milk
Meaning: Don’t be upset over small problems
To Provide an Example: I dropped my cookie, but Mom said, “Don’t cry over spilled milk.” / The game ended, but it’s okay not worth crying over spilled milk.
Alternative Meaning: He lost a crayon but didn’t cry over spilled milk. / We missed the show, but Dad said not to cry over spilled milk.
26. Eat like a bird
Meaning: To eat very little
To Provide an Example: My sister eats like a bird. / He ate like a bird at dinner just a few bites.
Alternative Meaning: I ate like a bird after school. / She eats like a bird even on Thanksgiving.
27. Eat like a horse
Meaning: To eat a lot
To Provide an Example: My brother eats like a horse after soccer. / I ate like a horse on Thanksgiving.
Alternative Meaning: He eats like a horse when there’s pizza. / We all ate like horses at the party.
28. Second helping
Meaning: More food after finishing the first plate
To Provide an Example: I asked for a second helping of mashed potatoes. / He had a second helping of pie.
Alternative Meaning: Mom gave me a second helping of turkey. / I wanted a second helping of corn, too.
29. Fall for something
Meaning: To believe something that’s not true
To Provide an Example: I fell for his silly joke. / She fell for the trick with the fake bug.
Alternative Meaning: He always falls for my pranks. / They fell for the made-up story.
30. Talk your ear off
Meaning: To talk too much
To Provide an Example: Uncle Joe talked my ear off at dinner. / My friend talks my ear off about cartoons.
Alternative Meaning: She talks my ear off every morning. / I talked Mom’s ear off about the parade.
31. A hot potato
Meaning: Something hard to deal with
To Provide an Example: The missing homework was a hot potato. / That question was a hot potato in class.
Alternative Meaning: The rule change was a hot potato. / Picking a team leader was a hot potato.
32. Full of beans
Meaning: To be very happy and active
To Provide an Example: He’s always full of beans on holidays. / I was full of beans after dessert.
Alternative Meaning: The kids were full of beans before bed. / My dog is full of beans every morning.
33. Cooked up a storm
Meaning: Made a lot of food
To Provide an Example: Grandma cooked up a storm for Thanksgiving. / Mom cooked up a storm all morning.
Alternative Meaning: Dad cooked up a storm for breakfast. / We cooked up a storm for our food drive.
34. Food for thought
Meaning: An idea to think about
To Provide an Example: That story gave me food for thought. / Her question was food for thought.
Alternative Meaning: What he said was food for thought. / The show gave us food for thought.
35. A taste of your own medicine
Meaning: To be treated the way you treat others
To Provide an Example: He teased me, so I gave him a taste of his own medicine. / She got a taste of her own medicine when her joke was on her.
Alternative Meaning: The bully got a taste of his own medicine. / My brother got a taste of his own medicine when I hid his toy.
36. Cool as a cucumber
Meaning: To stay calm
To Provide an Example: She was cool as a cucumber during the test. / He stayed cool as a cucumber when the pie fell.
Alternative Meaning: I was cool as a cucumber before my turn. / Mom stayed cool as a cucumber when we spilled juice.
37. Spill the beans
Meaning: To tell a secret
To Provide an Example: He spilled the beans about the surprise. / I spilled the beans on what we bought Dad.
Alternative Meaning: She spilled the beans too early. / Don’t spill the beans about the gift!
38. Bite off more than you can chew
Meaning: To try to do too much
To Provide an Example: I bit off more than I could chew with that big puzzle. / She bit off more than she could chew in the play.
Alternative Meaning: He bit off more than he could chew with the science project. / We bit off more than we could chew making dinner alone.
39. Big cheese
Meaning: Someone important
To Provide an Example: The teacher is the big cheese in class. / My brother thinks he’s the big cheese now.
Alternative Meaning: Grandpa is the big cheese at family dinners. / The coach is the big cheese at games.
40. Butterfingers
Meaning: Someone who drops things easily
To Provide an Example: I dropped my plate what a butterfingers! / She spilled the juice total butterfingers.
Alternative Meaning: He’s such a butterfingers during baseball. / Mom said, “Careful, butterfingers!” when I dropped my cup.
41. Jump on the bandwagon
Meaning: To join something popular
To Provide an Example: I jumped on the bandwagon for pumpkin spice. / She jumped on the bandwagon for the new show.
Alternative Meaning: They jumped on the bandwagon for the team shirts. / We jumped on the bandwagon when pie became cool.
42. Not my cup of tea
Meaning: Something you don’t like
To Provide an Example: Cranberry sauce is not my cup of tea. / That movie was not my cup of tea.
Alternative Meaning: Singing is not my cup of tea. / Cleaning the yard is not my cup of tea.
43. Put a fork in it
Meaning: Something is finished
To Provide an Example: The pie is gone put a fork in it. / That game is over put a fork in it.
Alternative Meaning: School is done for the day put a fork in it. / We cleaned the table put a fork in it!
44. Two peas in a pod
Meaning: Very alike
To Provide an Example: My cousin and I are like two peas in a pod. / Those twins are two peas in a pod.
Alternative Meaning: My cats are two peas in a pod. / We are best friends two peas in a pod.
45. In a pickle
Meaning: In a tricky spot
To Provide an Example: I forgot my homework I’m in a pickle! / She’s in a pickle with her broken shoes.
Alternative Meaning: He was in a pickle when he lost his coat. / We were in a pickle when the turkey was late.
46. Piece of cake
Meaning: Something easy
To Provide an Example: That test was a piece of cake. / Setting the table was a piece of cake.
Alternative Meaning: Drawing the turkey was a piece of cake. / Helping clean up was a piece of cake.
47. Hit the spot
Meaning: Tastes really good
To Provide an Example: That pumpkin pie really hit the spot. / The warm rolls hit the spot after the cold walk.
Alternative Meaning: Hot cocoa hit the spot after sledding. / That soup hit the spot on a chilly day.
48. Talk about a turkey
Meaning: Used when someone messes up
To Provide an Example: He forgot the rolls talk about a turkey! / I dropped the pie talk about a turkey.
Alternative Meaning: She spilled the gravy talk about a turkey. / We got lost talk about a turkey!
49. Turkey hangover
Meaning: Feeling tired after eating too much
To Provide an Example: I had a turkey hangover after dinner. / She felt the turkey hangover and took a nap.
Alternative Meaning: We all had a turkey hangover from too much food. / Dad joked about his turkey hangover on the couch.
50. Time to hit the hay
Meaning: Time to go to bed
To Provide an Example: After dinner, it was time to hit the hay. / I was full and tired time to hit the hay.
Alternative Meaning: She yawned and said, “Time to hit the hay.” / After cleanup, we all hit the hay early.
Trials for Success: Idioms about Thanksgiving
- After eating all that food, I felt ______________ and had to lie down.
- Dad told a ______________ at dinner, and we all rolled our eyes.
- My cousin dropped the whole pie talk about a ______________.
- Mom said, “Let’s ______________ and share this meal with joy.”
- We were so full after dinner, we didn’t even want a ______________.
- I spilled juice on the table, but Grandma said, “Don’t ______________.”
- My sister eats very little she always ______________.
- We were all tired and Mom said it was time to ______________.
- Uncle Joe ______________ when he talked about his fishing trip.
- We ran in the school’s ______________ before we had lunch.
- I didn’t study for the quiz and learned not to ______________.
- Dad said the mashed potatoes really ______________ after the long day.
- My brother tried to ______________ Mom to get extra dessert.
- On Thanksgiving, we ______________ for having food and family.
- My best friend and I like all the same things we’re like ______________.
Answer Key
- stuffed to the gills
- corny joke
- turkey
- break bread
- second helping
- cry over spilled milk
- eats like a bird
- hit the hay
- talked my ear off
- turkey trot
- count your chickens
- hit the spot
- butter up
- count our blessings
- two peas in a pod
Conclusion
Thanksgiving is a time for food, fun, and family. It is also a time to learn new words and sayings. Idioms make talking more fun. They help us understand ideas in a simple way.
Now you know many Thanksgiving idioms. You saw how people use them in real life. Some are silly, some are smart, and some help us show how we feel. Try using one this Thanksgiving. You might make someone smile.
