a pie-crust promise
Meaning: A promise that is easily broken.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “His promise to call every day was a pie-crust promise.”
Category: Food & Drink
Origin: Pie crust is made to be broken. Jonathan Swift used the comparison in Polite Conversation (1738), and Mary Poppins says it in the 1934 novel: "Easily made, easily broken."
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Une promesse de Gascon — literally: A Gascon's promise
More idioms — Food & Drink
- the honeymoon period — The early, happy stage of a new relationship or arrangement, before problems appear.
- all grist to the mill — Everything can be turned to use or advantage.
- you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs — Achieving something worthwhile involves some loss or damage.
- in a pickle — In a difficult situation.
- jam tomorrow — A promise of good things in the future that never arrive.
- no picnic — Not easy or pleasant.
More English idioms
- drag someone's name through the mud — To damage someone's reputation publicly.
- there's no accounting for taste — People's preferences cannot be explained.
- get one's hooks into — To get a firm hold or control over something or someone.
- don't judge a book by its cover — Don't form an opinion based only on appearance.
- as old as the hills — Extremely old.
- forewarned is forearmed — Knowing about something in advance lets you prepare.
From our compliments & insults
- Courir sur le haricot — To get badly on someone's nerves.
- Tienes menos luces que un barco pirata — You're really not the brightest.
- Eres más lento que el caballo del malo — You're painfully slow — the villain's horse never catches the hero.