knew which side one's bread was buttered on

A form of know which side one's bread is buttered on — To be aware of where one's interests lie in a situation.

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Meanings

verb
  1. pastsimple past of know which side one's bread is buttered on
Cite this entry
APA

knew which side one's bread was buttered on. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knew%20which%20side%20one's%20bread%20was%20buttered%20on

MLA

“knew which side one's bread was buttered on.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knew%20which%20side%20one's%20bread%20was%20buttered%20on. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “knew which side one's bread was buttered on,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knew%20which%20side%20one's%20bread%20was%20buttered%20on.

Source: knew which side one's bread was buttered on on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.