bring home the bacon
Meaning
To earn money or achieve success that provides for yourself or your family; to come through with the needed result.
Origin
Often linked to early 1900s American slang meaning to win a prize or succeed; later popularized by boxing/show-business stories and ads, it came to mean earning the family’s livelihood.
Notes
Generally positive and practical; implies responsibility and delivering needed results. Informal/conversational; can sound a bit old-fashioned or jokey in some contexts.
Examples
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She got a promotion and finally started bringing home the bacon.
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With the bills piling up, I need to bring home the bacon, even if it means working late.
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If we land this client, it’ll really bring home the bacon for the whole team.
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He brought home the bacon by winning the tournament and taking the prize money.
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Since starting her side business, they’ve been bringing home the bacon every month.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Fixed phrase with the verb “bring”; tense/person change is normal (brings/brought). “The bacon” is typically fixed. Often followed by “for (the family/us)” or used figuratively for success.
Synonyms
- earn a living
- provide for the family
- pay the bills
- make ends meet
- deliver results
- come through
Antonyms
- fall short
- come up empty-handed
- lose money
- fail