bring home the bacon

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

bring home the bacon (third-person singular simple present brings home the bacon, present participle bringing home the bacon, simple past and past participle brought home the bacon)

1. To win or succeed.

   Synonyms: triumph, walk off with (the game or the prize)

   • 1924, P.G. Wodehouse, The World of Ukbridge:

     I am going to do my bit, Corky, and it may be that my bit will turn out to be just the trifle that brings home the bacon.

   • 2002, Joseph Andre Ryan, The Tely 10: A History of Newfoundland's Premier Road Race, 1922-2000:

     Brown had pushed the champion very hard for first place the previous year, and to many of his supporters, this year he could "bring home the bacon".

2. (idiomatic) To have employment which provides remuneration to satisfy the basic needs of oneself and one's family.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:make a living

   • 2005, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul:

     It's just that I think I'm going to lose my job at the studio and am damned scared of not being able to bring home the bacon.

   • 2008 November 22, “In Alaska, Stevens' long reign is over”, in Los Angeles Times‎:

     No one brought home the bacon better than Stevens.

   • 2009 October 21, Stuart Jeffries, “Why don't more dads work part-time?”, in The Guardian‎:

     I have to say I like being the man, bringing home the bacon.

• keep the home fires burning
• keep the lights on
• keep the wolf from the door