Bread Definition: Idioms, How to Say It, and Daily Use

Bread appears in everyday language, not just on the table but in idioms, expressions, and even jokes:

You can also learn more about other types, textures, and applications of bread by finding some common words and phrases and using those to elaborately explain what you mean by those terms.

Related nouns: loaf bun roll toast

Synonyms (contextual): wholemeal sourdough baguette

Common collocations: slice of bread bread basket bread dough bread knife

Bread may be used in combination with other parts of speech in order to form various expressions. You can use bread in various phrases that allow you to have more descriptive language.

With adjectives: crusty bread soft bread wholegrain bread sliced bread

With verbs: bake bread slice bread toast bread knead bread

With nouns (noun + noun): bread basket bread machine bread recipe bread roll

Idiomatic bread is an addition of colour and content to the ordinary. Knowing them makes you define bread in a wider way than a loaf of it.

• Bread and butter is what one can make a living off of. It emphasizes what a person is dependent on to earn a living.

  Teaching music is his bread and butter; without it, he wouldn’t be able to support his students and family.

• Know which side your bread is buttered on — to know where your best interests lie.

  She always helps the boss first because she knows which side her bread is buttered on, ensuring she stays in good favor.

• Break bread literally translates into having a meal together, but figuratively means having togetherness or reconciliation.

  After years of rivalry, the two chefs decided to break bread over a homemade loaf of sourdough, finally sharing stories and laughter.

• Half a loaf is better than no bread — it’s better to have a small gain than nothing.

  He didn’t get the full promotion he hoped for, but half a loaf is better than none, and at least he gained valuable experience.

Learn more about the word “bread” and try to know what various forms of bread can represent in English, both food and idiom. These are exercises that are easy to complicated:

Ever wondered what “bread” is called in other languages? See the translations in Spanish, French, and German:

At first glance, bread appears ordinary, yet its historical roots, cultural impact, and astonishing facts make it extraordinary.

• The baking of bread dates back more than 14,000 years.

  Demonstrations indicate that leavened bread was made thousands of years ago by people in ancient Egypt and in the Fertile Crescent. Since then, bread has been part and parcel of human meals.

• The largest loaf of bread in the world was 1,571 kg (3,463.46 lb)

  In 2008, an Italian bakery baked a large loaf that set records in size and weight. It was not any loaf—it was a giant, Guinness World Records bread wonder.

• Bread is commonly referred to as the staff of life.

  Due to its major place in the world’s diets, bread has been called the staff of life. It is a simple, fundamental food that feeds millions every day.

• Holidays and traditions are characterized by special breads.

  Bread often has a cultural and ritual meaning — from challah at Jewish festivals and panettone at Christmas in Italy, to England’s hot cross buns at Easter and Ukraine’s savory pampushky served with borscht.

• Sliced bread was invented in 1928

  The first commercially sliced bread was invented by Otto Frederick Rohwedder. This invention simplified bread preparation and is widely quoted as “the best thing since sliced bread.”

The bread is a word full of warmth and significance; it is an image of comfort, fellowship, and life.

— James Beard

This quote glorifies bread as a simple but perfect pleasure and demonstrates that even the simplest loaf can transform a meal into something special.

— Omar Khayyam

This line from the Persian poet places bread among the simple pleasures of life, a friend to love and companionship.

— Miguel de Cervantes

This Spanish proverb indicates comfort and hope that follow a simple meal — how bread can alleviate suffering and unite people.