bring home the bacon

present singular third person brings home the bacon · participle present bringing home the bacon · participle past brought home the bacon · past brought home the bacon

1. To win or succeed.

   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.

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

   1 more example

   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".

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

   Synonyms: triumph, walk off with, put bread on the table, put food on the table, make ends meet

2. idiomaticTo have employment which provides remuneration to satisfy the basic needs of oneself and one's family.

   No one brought home the bacon better than Stevens.

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

   2 more examples

   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.

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

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

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

   Synonyms: carry one's weight, earn a living, earn one's corn, earn one's crust, earn one's keep, keep the home fires burning, put bread on the table, put food on the table