have a lot on one's plate
Meaning: To have many tasks or problems to deal with.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “I'd love to help with the fundraiser, but I have a lot on my plate this month.”
Category: Food & Drink
Origin: A plate heaped with more food than one can manage. The figurative use dates from the first half of the 20th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: avoir sur les bras — literally: to have on one's arms
- Dutch: op zijn bord krijgen — literally: to get on one's plate
More idioms — Food & Drink
- eat humble pie — To admit one was wrong and apologize humbly.
- a banana republic — A small, politically unstable country dominated by a corrupt elite or foreign business.
- drain the cup to the dregs — To endure a hardship or humiliation to the very end.
- the icing on the cake — An extra good thing added to something already good.
- take with a grain of salt — To be skeptical about something; not to take it entirely at face value.
- I could eat a horse — I am extremely hungry.
More English idioms
- mend fences — To repair a damaged relationship after a disagreement.
- play one's last card — To make a final attempt, using the last resource one has.
- people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones — One should not criticize others for faults one has oneself.
- take potshots at — To criticize someone in a casual, unfair or opportunistic way.
- go underground — To go into hiding or begin operating in secret.
- not believe one's ears — To be so surprised by what one hears that it seems impossible.
From our tongue twisters
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- How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? — A 'w/ch/ck' drill that accelerates comically — and nobody really knows the answer.