Delicious words!

Learn why nuts are crazy and the meaning of 11 other food terms

Image: Rumman Amin

Our language loves to borrow from the dinner table. Many everyday words that sound delicious once referred only to food but have since taken on entirely new meanings. Think of "salty" moods or "cheesy" jokes, how did these expressions come to describe emotions or humor? Take a look at 12 of these idioms and see for yourself!

Image: Sorin Gheorghita

A term once used for describing the act of dropping buttered food, "butterfingers" now labels anyone who fumbles objects easily. Baseball announcers helped popularize the term in the early 1900s.

These days, it’s used far beyond sports. If someone drops their phone or fumbles the remote, they might be called butterfingers.

Image: Emerson Vieira

This insult began with the idea of someone whose brain was replaced by meat (indeed, not the most flattering image). It became slang for brawny but dim-witted men.

After the television show All in the Family popularized its use in the 1970s, "meathead" stuck as shorthand for someone strong in muscle but short on sense.

Image: Towfiqu barbhuiya

Before it meant "crazy," it was just a snack. "Nuts" became slang for "insane" in early 20th-century slang, perhaps because nuts were small, round, and a bit "off the wall."

Now the word is often used affectionately as well, as in "I’m nuts about you," meaning deeply fond.

Image: David Foodphototasty

A term originally linked to cheap cheese or bad dairy smells, "cheesy" came to describe things lacking class or quality.

From clothing items to home décor, today, calling something "cheesy" means it’s corny, overdone, or trying too hard, with none of the charm of real cheese.

Image: Edi Libedinsky

Long ago, sailors who were "worth their salt" were admired, but by the 20th century, "salty" had shifted in meaning. It came to describe coarse language and, later, sour moods.

Today, being "salty" just means you’re irritated or resentful, a figurative taste of bitterness, no longer tied to the shaker.

Image: SuckerPunch Gourmet

Before it meant trouble, a pickle was simply a brined cucumber. William Shakespeare gave the word new figurative life when he wrote "in such a pickle," using it to suggest "a tricky situation."

Nowadays, being "in a pickle" just means you’ve landed in a mess that’s hard to escape.

Image: Shelley Pauls

The use of this word as a phrase began as college slang in the 1960s, possibly inspired by "cool" jazz culture. Beans were everyday and friendly, making them perfect for playfulness.

Saying "Cool beans!" today still feels sunny and casual, a lighthearted way to express approval without sounding too serious.

Image: Arwin Neil Baichoo

What was once purely a sticky treat, "honey" became a term of affection centuries ago, showing how sweetness appeals to both the tongue and the heart.

Today, it is one of English’s most common terms of endearment, heard in phrases ranging from "Honey, I’m home!" to "Hey, honey."

Image: A S

The term might be more commonly used to describe baked goods, but cookies also became metaphors for people with distinctive traits or character.

Expressions like "smart cookie" or "tough cookie" show how language uses food to describe personalities in a lighthearted and playful way.

Image: NisonCo PR and SEO

Peaches have long symbolized beauty, youth, and desirability. By the early 1900s, "peachy" had come to mean everything was fine or delightful.

Saying "Everything’s peachy!" expresses a sort of vintage sense of joy and optimism that is sometimes used ironically.

Image: Sharon Waldron

From fruit spread to music sessions, "jam" is a word that has branched out in surprisingly creative ways. Musicians "jam" together in improvised play, while people find themselves "in a jam" when facing trouble.

It’s a curious word that can sound both fun and frustrating, depending on whether you’re making music or missing a deadline.

Image: victoria.

This word, referring to a comfort food, once meant simply sauce, but by the 20th century, "gravy" came to describe bonuses or easy wins.

Expressions like "gravy job," "gravy train," and "it’s all gravy" share the same idea: smooth, rich, and effortless, just like a delicious serving of gravy.

Some songwriters have made whole careers out of this…

Sorry is not the hardest word: learn about these 10 famous apologies

Image: Steve DiMatteo

From solemn and historical gestures to lighthearted expressions, apologies can take many forms. These very forms can determine whether the apology is accepted and believed or dismissed as false and insincere. The following ten examples, taken from different times in history, show us how to apologize properly—and how not to.

Image: Léonard Cotte

Galileo Galilei’s affirmation and publications supporting the notion that the Earth wasn’t at the center of the Universe were contrary to what the Bible might suggest. As a result, the Inquisition not only restricted Galileo from publishing his works that may support ideas deemed blasphemous by the Church but also had him imprisoned. The order was later changed to house arrest.

In 1992, 359 years after the incident, Pope John Paul II declared that Galileo wasn’t wrong. Maybe not an apology per se, but at least it was something, right?

Image: Eddie Wingertsahn

Not every apology needs to be expressed in words. In 1077, Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV traveled across the Alps to beg for Pope Gregory VII's forgiveness. Only after three days of kneeling in the snow did Henry finally convince the Pontiff to welcome him back into the Catholic Church.

Henry IV had been excommunicated in the first place for usurping the Pope's authority and appointing his own bishops, a practice that was highly frowned upon at the time.

Image: Fine Photographics

The earliest apology showcased on this list belongs to Socrates, whose words were immortalized by Plato in a famous essay. It recounts how Socrates defended himself against charges of corrupting Athens’ youth and blaspheming local gods with his philosophical teachings.

While Socrates' speech is a classic, a jury of his peers remained unconvinced and he was found guilty and sentenced to death. Plato quotes Socrates as saying at his sentencing: "The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways—I to die, and you to live. Which is better, God only knows." Once again, so much for saying "I'm sorry."

Image: René DeAnda

Bill Clinton’s address to the nation on Aug. 17, 1998, is probably the most public acknowledgment of presidential misconduct in U.S. history. "Indeed I did have a relationship with Miss Lewinsky that was not appropriate. In fact, it was wrong... I misled people, including even my wife. I deeply regret that."

He confessed to an improper relationship with an intern but sought to put an end to the scandal, defiantly insisting that "even Presidents have private lives." It wasn't to be. Interest among the press, the public, and even Congress ultimately led to the second presidential impeachment in U.S. history.

Image: Chris Boland

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson offered a contrite apology for attending a Downing Street garden party while the country was under a strict coronavirus lockdown. He insisted that the gathering was a work event and did not breach government regulations on social mixing during the early days of the pandemic. "I want to apologize. I know the rage they feel with me and with the government I lead when they think in Downing Street itself the rules are not being properly followed by the people who make the rules. There were things we simply did not get right, and I must take that responsibility," Johnson said.

The apology might have brought Johnson some political breathing room but, in the end, it did little to dispel the rage because he eventually resigned from his post.

Image: Jose Antonio Gallego Vázquez

Martha Stewart, the celebrity homemaker and media personality, was convicted in 2004 for lying to investigators about a stock sale and was sentenced to five months in prison.

While she sought to downplay the conviction as a "small personal matter," Martha was also contrite about its impact. "Today is a shameful day," she said. "It’s shameful for me, and for my family, and my beloved company, and all of its employees and partners."

Image: Yevheniia

When the German Chancellor Willy Brandt was scheduled to visit the Polish capital of Warsaw to sign the Treaty of Warsaw and formally recognize the border between Poland and East Germany in 1970, it was not expected of him to carry the guilt or the need to make amends for the actions of Nazi Germany during the war.

But, when he walked up to the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes in Warsaw, he took a moment to himself and promptly got on both his knees. This gesture probably helped his achievements as West Germany’s Chancellor which led him to the Nobel Peace Prize in 1971.

Image: Andrew Le

Everyone has seen or heard about the infamous slap Will Smith delivered to Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards. Mr. Rock was presenting the ceremony and made a joke about Jada Pinkett’s hair—Will Smith’s wife—, to which Smith took offense. He proceeded to stand up, walk to the stage, and slap Chris Rock in the face.

What made matters even more awkward was the fact that Will Smith had to walk onstage just a few moments later, to receive a Best Actor award and deliver his acceptance speech. He apologized during his speech and has since issued at least one public apology video expressing his regret for the incident.

Image: Mario Serpas

In June 2015, France's Ecology Minister Ségolène Royal said on French television that people should avoid eating Nutella because it is made with palm oil. She noted that palm oil plantations contribute to deforestation and climate change. But, after her comments, the Italian manufacturers of Nutella responded that their products were created with palm oil from sustainable plantations.

Italian politicians called on Royal to apologize and she eventually did. "A thousand apologies for the row over Nutella," Royal said on Twitter. "Okay to showcase progress."

Image: Stephen Mease

Kanye West, the rapper, made headlines in 2009 when he interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards, saying: "Yo, Taylor, I’m really happy for you, I’ma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time! One of the best videos of all time!" West was heavily criticized for cutting her off and ruining her winning moment.

He later issued an apology to Swift and her mother: "I’m sooooooo sorry to Taylor Swift and her fans and her mum. I spoke to her mother right after and she said the same thing my mother would’ve said. She is very talented! I like the lyrics about being a cheerleader and she’s in the bleachers! I’m in the wrong for going on stage and taking away from her moment! I’m not crazy y’all, I’m just real. Sorry for that!!! I really feel bad for Taylor and I’m sincerely sorry!!! Much respect!!!"