English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions 

FOOD and DRINK, page 6

from:  'drop like a hot potato'   to:  '(can't) put new wine in old bottles'

• drop like a hot potato
  • If you drop someone or something like a hot potato, you leave them or immediately stop associating with them.
    "As soon as the unflattering article was published, she dropped him like a hot potato."
    
    
• small potatoes
  • Something referred to as small potatoes is considered to be unimportant or insignificant.
    "The author's first publication was considered small potatoes but her new book has lead to a change of opinion."
    
    
• proof of the pudding (is in the eating)
  • This expression means that something new can only be judged after it has been tested.
    "I'm going to try out my new DVD player. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, as we all know!"
    
    
• back to the salt mines
  • Saying that you have to go back to the sale mines is a humorous way of talking about returning to work, usually with some reluctance.
    "We get two days off at Christmas and then it's back to the salt mines!"
    
    
• rub salt into the wound 
  • If you are in a difficult or unpleasant situation, and somebody rubs salt into the wound, they do or say something to make things worse.
    "The separation from Julie was already difficult for Alex. Mentioning her new boyfriend just rubbed salt into the wound."
    
    
• take with a grain of salt
  • To say that certain information should be taken with a grain of salt means that you doubt its accuracy.
    "I hear the tuition fees are going to be reduced, but that should be taken with a grain of salt."
    
    
• worth one's salt
  • Someone who deserves respect because they do their job well is a person who is worth their salt.
    "Any inspector worth their salt would have checked the papers carefully."
    
    
• from soup to nuts
  • If you do something from soup to nuts, you do it all the way through, from the beginning to the end (like from the first to the last course of a meal).
    "She told us the whole story, from soup to nuts."
    
    
• of the first water
  • Something that is of the first water is of the finest or most exceptional quality (like being compared to a diamond).
    "The violinist gave a performance that was of the first water."
    
    
• (not) hold water
  • If an explanation or argument does not hold water, it does not stand up to critical examination and can be shown to be unfounded.
    "The reasons given by the government for the new measures just do not hold water."
    
    
• in hot water
  • To say that somebody is in hot water means that they have done something wrong and people are angry with them.
    "Simon has been in hot water since his boss discovered that he had been using the internet for personal purposes."
    
    
• water down
  • If you water down something such as a report, declaration or proposal, you try to make it weaker or less likely to cause anger.
    "When announcing the rejection of the proposal, he tried to water down the committee's negative comments."
    
    
• (like) water off a duck's back
  • Criticism or comments which have no effect on someone is referred to as being ''like water off a duck's back'.
    "He's been warned of the dangers of smoking but it's like water off a duck's back."
    
    
• water under the bridge
  • If something difficult or unpleasant took place in the past but is no longer important, it is referred to as water under the bridge.
    "They had a serious disagreement in the past, but that's water under the bridge today."
    
    
• make your mouth water
  • Food can make your mouth water when it looks and smells extremely good.
    "That delicious smell from the kitchen is making my mouth water."
    
    
• test the waters(s)
  • If you test the water(s), you try to find out how acceptable or successful something is before becoming involved in it.
    "You should go to a gym class to test the water before enrolling."
    
    
• tread water
  • If you are treading water, your unsatisfactory situation remains stationary in spite of your efforts, with no sign of any progress.
    "I've been treading water for the past year hoping to find a better job."
    
    
• (can't) put new wine in old bottles
  • This expression means that you should not try to combine new concepts or innovations with an old or long-established framework or system.
    "You'll never get that program to work on your father's old computer. You can't put new wine in old bottles!"