bread and honey: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Medium (UK), Very Low (US)Informal, Slang
Quick answer
What does “bread and honey” mean?
A rhyming slang term from Cockney English for 'money'.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A rhyming slang term from Cockney English for 'money'.
A reference to a livelihood or financial means, often implying the basic money needed to live, as bread and honey are basic food items.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Exclusively British (specifically London/Cockney) in origin. American usage is virtually non-existent and would be understood only as a literal reference to food or via cultural knowledge of British slang.
Connotations
In the UK, it carries working-class, Cockney, or traditional London connotations. It can sound dated or quaint.
Frequency
Mostly historical or used self-consciously for stylistic effect. More likely to be encountered in literature, films, or discussions of slang than in everyday modern speech.
Grammar
How to Use “bread and honey” in a Sentence
to earn [one's] bread and honeyto be after [some] bread and honeyto need [some] bread and honeyVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bread and honey” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not used as a verb.
American English
- Not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not used as an adverb.
American English
- Not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not used as an adjective.
American English
- Not used as an adjective.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Rarely used, except in linguistic studies of slang.
Everyday
Informal, potentially humorous or stylized reference to money.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bread and honey”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bread and honey”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bread and honey”
- Using it in formal contexts.
- Assuming Americans will understand the slang meaning.
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'I bread and honeyed').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is considered dated slang. It is more often cited as an example of Cockney rhyming slang than used spontaneously in everyday conversation.
Only if you are explaining British slang or using it for a specific stylistic effect. Most Americans would interpret it literally as food.
'Bread and butter' is a standard idiom meaning one's main source of income or livelihood. 'Bread and honey' is specifically a rhyming slang term just for 'money' itself.
Like many rhyming slang terms, the full phrase 'bread and honey' is used. Sometimes it's shortened to just 'bread', which is also common slang for money.
A rhyming slang term from Cockney English for 'money'.
Bread and honey is usually informal, slang in register.
Bread and honey: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbred ən ˈhʌni/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbred ən ˈhʌni/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Bring home the bread and honey”
- “On one's uppers (a contrasting idiom meaning poor)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a beehive shaped like a loaf of bread producing coins instead of honey. To get the money (honey), you need the bread (the job/hive).
Conceptual Metaphor
MONEY IS SUSTENANCE (Money is equated with basic, nourishing food).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'bread and honey' LEAST likely to be understood as meaning 'money'?