bubble and squeak: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Informal, colloquial, culinary
Quick answer
What does “bubble and squeak” mean?
A British dish made by frying leftover cooked potatoes and cabbage, typically from a Sunday roast.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A British dish made by frying leftover cooked potatoes and cabbage, typically from a Sunday roast.
A situation of noise, bustle, or minor excitement; also used occasionally in business jargon to describe a market or trend with temporary, low-value activity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, it is a well-known traditional dish. In the US, it is largely unknown and would likely be seen as a British cultural term, if recognized at all.
Connotations
UK: Nostalgia, frugality, comfort food, simple home cooking. US: Exoticism, Britishness, potential confusion.
Frequency
High frequency in UK culinary and cultural contexts; extremely low to zero frequency in general American English.
Grammar
How to Use “bubble and squeak” in a Sentence
have (some) bubble and squeakmake bubble and squeak (out of something)fry (up) some bubble and squeakVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “bubble and squeak” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We'll just bubble-and-squeak these leftovers for lunch.
adjective
British English
- He's in a bubble-and-squeak mood, wanting something simple and fried.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used metaphorically for a minor market fluctuation or a lot of noise with little real change.
Academic
Virtually never used.
Everyday
Common in UK domestic contexts when discussing leftovers or traditional food.
Technical
Not used in technical fields.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “bubble and squeak”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “bubble and squeak”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “bubble and squeak”
- Using it as a countable noun (*a bubble and squeak* is less common than *some bubble and squeak*).
- Capitalizing it as a proper noun.
- Using it as a verb outside very creative contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is most commonly eaten as a lunch or dinner, often the day after a roast dinner.
Traditionally it is potatoes and cabbage, but modern variations often include other leftover vegetables like carrots, Brussels sprouts, or peas.
No, colcannon is an Irish dish of mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage, usually served soft. Bubble and squeak is fried until crispy.
The name is onomatopoeic, describing the bubbling and squeaking sounds the ingredients make while frying in the pan.
A British dish made by frying leftover cooked potatoes and cabbage, typically from a Sunday roast.
Bubble and squeak is usually informal, colloquial, culinary in register.
Bubble and squeak: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbʌb.l̩ ən ˈskwiːk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbʌb.l̩ ən ˈskwik/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “all bubble and squeak (meaning all noise and no substance)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the BUBBLE of the frying oil and the SQUEAK of the cabbage as it cooks.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOUND FOR OBJECT (onomatopoeic for the dish); NOISE FOR INSIGNIFICANT ACTIVITY (metaphorical extension).
Practice
Quiz
What is 'bubble and squeak' primarily?