bread and butter(3)

bread and butter(3)
{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./

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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  • bread and butter — ˌbread and ˈbutter noun [singular] if something is your bread and butter, it is the thing that gives you your main income: • The paper s bread and butter is reporting local events in a small community . * * * bread and butter UK US noun [U]… …   Financial and business terms

  • Bread and butter — Bread Bread (br[e^]d), n. [AS. bre[ a]d; akin to OFries. br[=a]d, OS. br[=o]d, D. brood, G. brod, brot, Icel. brau[eth], Sw. & Dan. br[ o]d. The root is probably that of E. brew. [root]93. See {Brew}.] 1. An article of food made from flour or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Bread and butter — is a superstitious phrase from the 19th and early 20th centuries, typically used by young couples walking together when temporarily separated by an obstacle, such as a pole or another person.OriginThe exact origin of the phrase is unknown, but… …   Wikipedia

  • bread-and-butter — adj [only before noun] 1.) BrE bread and butter questions are very important basic ones ▪ bread and butter political issues such as jobs and housing 2.) bread and butter work is work that is not very exciting but provides you with most of the… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • bread-and-butter — bread and but•ter [[t]ˈbrɛd nˈbʌt ər[/t]] adj. 1) providing a livelihood or reliable income: the agency s bread and butter accounts[/ex] 2) of or pertaining to the basic needs of life 3) basic or everyday; staple; routine 4) expressing thanks for …   From formal English to slang

  • bread and butter — issues are ones that affect people directly and in a very important way …   The small dictionary of idiomes

  • bread and butter — noun uncount INFORMAL something that provides your main income: Tourism is the island s bread and butter …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • bread-and-butter — adjective very important or the most basic: a bread and butter issue …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • bread and butter — ► bread and butter a person s livelihood or main source of income. Main Entry: ↑bread …   English terms dictionary

  • bread and butter —    Bread and butter issues are ones that affect people directly and in a very important way.   (Dorking School Dictionary) …   English Idioms & idiomatic expressions

  • bread-and-butter — [bred n but′ər] adj. 1. relating to subsistence or to the product, work, etc. basically relied on for earnings 2. basic, commonplace, everyday, etc. ☆ 3. expressing thanks, as a letter sent to one s host or hostess after a visit …   English World dictionary

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