bread and butter

n.1. Means of support; livelihood.2. The essential sustaining element or elements; the mainstay: "As ever, politics, vulgarity and sentimentality were the bread and butter of the Academy Awards" (David Ansen).

bread and butter

n 1. (modifier) a means of support or subsistence; livelihood: the inheritance was their bread and butter. 2. bread-and-butter a. providing a basic means of subsistence: a bread-and-butter job. b. solid, reliable, or practical: a bread-and-butter player. c. expressing gratitude, as for hospitality (esp in the phrase bread-and-butter letter)

bread′ and but′ter

n. a basic means of support or income; source of livelihood; sustenance. [1620–30]

bread-and-but•ter

(ˈbrɛd nˈbʌt ər)

adj. 1. providing a livelihood or reliable income: the agency's bread-and-butter accounts. 2. of or pertaining to the basic needs of life. 3. basic or everyday; staple; routine. 4. expressing thanks for hospitality: a bread-and-butter letter. [1720–30]

Thesaurus

Noun

bread and butter - the financial means whereby one lives; "each child was expected to pay for their keep"; "he applied to the state for support"; "he could no longer earn his own livelihood"keep, livelihood, sustenance, living, supportresource - available source of wealth; a new or reserve supply that can be drawn upon when neededamenities, comforts, conveniences, creature comforts - things that make you comfortable and at ease; "all the comforts of home"maintenance - means of maintenance of a family or groupmeal ticket - a source of income or livelihoodsubsistence - minimal (or marginal) resources for subsisting; "social security provided only a bare subsistence"

bread and butter

nounThe means needed to support life:alimentation, alimony, bread, keep, livelihood, living, maintenance, subsistence, support, sustenance, upkeep.

Translations

生计

bread

(bred) noun1. a type of food made of flour or meal baked. bread and butter.面包2. one's living. This is how I earn my daily bread.生计ˈbreadcrumbs noun plural very tiny pieces of bread. Dip the fish in egg and breadcrumbs.面包屑ˈbreadwinner noun a person who earns money to keep a family. When her husband died she had to become the breadwinner.养家活口的人bread and butter (a way of earning) one's living. Writing novels is my bread and butter.生计on the breadline with barely enough to live on. The widow and her children are on the breadline. 生活仅够糊口，勉强过饿不死的日子

bread and butter takes a singular verb.

bread and butter

1. noun A vital component of something. Bread and butter, as foodstuffs, are considered basic forms of sustenance. A flourishing stock market is the bread and butter of a successful country.2. noun A job or task that provides one with a steady income. I'm an artist on the weekends, but being a tutor is my bread and butter.3. adjective Providing financial stability. The phrase can be hyphenated when used as an adjective. I love any writing assignment where I can be creative, but I always make sure to pick up some bread-and-butter gigs to pay the bills.4. adjective Typical or common. The phrase can be hyphenated when used as an adjective. My sister worries about everything, even the bread-and-butter tasks of everyday life.See also: and, bread, butter

someone's bread and butter

Fig. someone's basic income; someone's livelihood—the source of one's food. I can't miss another day of work. That's my bread and butter. I worked as a bartender for a year, and it was the tips that were my bread and butter.See also: and, bread, butter

bread and butter

1. The essential, sustaining element, as in The quality of the schools is the bread and butter of town property values. This idiom alludes to a basic food, bread spread with butter. [c. 1700] 2. Means of livelihood, as in John's job is the family's bread and butter. [First half of 1700s] 3. Ordinary, routine, as in Don't worry about it; this is just a bread and butter assignment. [Second half of 1800s] See also: and, bread, butter

bread and butter

COMMON1. If something is your bread and butter, it is your most important or only source of income. `Who's your audience?' — `We play maybe a hundred colleges a year. That is our bread and butter.' I think I'm more controlled at work. I have to be; it's my bread and butter. Note: Your bread-and-butter business is the part of your business which produces the main part of your income. It's not exactly thrilling but it's good bread-and-butter work all the same.2. The bread and butter of a situation or activity is its most basic or important aspects. It's the bread and butter of police work, checking if anybody had seen anything suspicious. Note: You can also talk about bread-and-butter issues or aspects of something. On major bread-and-butter issues, there's little difference between the candidates.See also: and, bread, butter

someone's bread and butter

someone's livelihood; routine work to provide an income. 1998 Times It is not that the smaller deal has disappeared—they remain the bread and butter of this industry. See also: and, bread, butter

your ˌbread and ˈbutter

the work that somebody does which provides them with enough money to live: He’s written one or two novels but journalism is his bread and butter.See also: and, bread, butter

bread and butter

n. one’s livelihood. It’s bread and butter to me. I have to do it. See also: and, bread, butter

bread and butter

bread and butter

bread and butter

bread′ and but′ter

bread-and-but•ter

bread and butter

bread

bread and butter

bread and butter

someone's bread and butter

bread and butter

bread and butter

someone's bread and butter

your ˌbread and ˈbutter

bread and butter

bread and butter

Synonyms for bread and butter

noun the means needed to support life

Synonyms

Synonyms for bread and butter

noun the financial means whereby one lives

Synonyms

Related Words