- To earn money for the family; to provide the household income; to be successful, especially financially.
Explanation
Origin
Several disputed origins:
- Dunmow Flitch: An old tradition (dating back centuries) in Dunmow, England, where a side of bacon (a flitch) was awarded to any married couple who could swear they hadn't argued for a year and a day. Winning the bacon meant achieving marital harmony, sometimes associated with domestic success.
- Greased Pig Contest: At country fairs, catching a greased pig was a common contest, with the prize often being the pig itself (which provides bacon). Successfully catching it meant bringing home the bacon.
- Boxing: Early 20th-century usage in boxing circles, where winning a fight meant earning prize money (the bacon). A mother allegedly told her boxer son Joe Gans before a fight in 1906 to bring home the bacon.
Whichever origin is true, it firmly means earning the income/achieving success.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Be the breadwinner
- Get paid / Get that paper / Get the bag (Urban slang for earning money)
- Rake it in (Earn a lot of money easily)
- Keep the lights on (Paying essential bills)
Formal:
- Serve as the primary earner
- Provide financial support
- Secure the household income
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal to semi-formal.
- Common in everyday conversation. It can sometimes reinforce traditional gender roles if used carelessly (i.e., assuming the man is the one to bring home the bacon), but the phrase itself is used for any gender.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Highly figurative. Not about literal bacon in most uses. Learners need to understand it means earning income or achieving success.
Examples
- Since my partner lost their job, I have to bring home the bacon.
- He works two jobs to bring home the bacon.
- She really brought home the bacon with that new sales contract! (Meaning achieved great success/profit)
Dialogue
Friend 1: How's Mark doing since the baby arrived?
Friend 2: He's good, but tired! Working longer hours now. He feels the pressure to bring home the bacon more than ever.
Friend 1: I bet. It's a big change.
Social Media Examples
- Facebook Post: Shoutout to my amazing wife who works so hard to bring home the bacon while I finish my degree! #grateful #teamwork
- Tweet: Landed the big client! Time to bring home the bacon! 🥓 #sales #success #workhard
- LinkedIn Post: Our sales team really brought home the bacon this quarter, exceeding all targets. #teamwork #achievemen
Response Patterns
- That's a lot of pressure.
- Good for him/her! (If successful)
- It takes hard work to do that.
- Acknowledgment: I understand., Right.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
- Discussing the person's job or financial situation.
- Expressing admiration for their hard work or success.
- Discussing division of labor or financial responsibilities within a household.
Conversation Starter
- No. Used to describe someone's role or success, usually within an existing conversation.
Intonation
- Emphasis often on BRING home the BACON.
- Tone can be matter-of-fact (describing responsibility), proud (describing success), or stressed (describing necessity).
Generation Differences
- Widely understood, perhaps slightly more common among older generations (30+), but still very much in use.
Regional Variations
- Common in most English-speaking regions, especially North America.