jam tomorrow
Meaning: A promise of good things in the future that never arrive.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The company keeps offering bonuses next year; it's always jam tomorrow.”
Category: Food & Drink
Origin: From Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass (1871), where the White Queen offers "jam to-morrow and jam yesterday — but never jam to-day."
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Demain, on rase gratis — literally: Tomorrow, free shaves
More idioms — Food & Drink
- no picnic — Not easy or pleasant.
- a poisoned chalice — Something that seems attractive but brings trouble to whoever accepts it.
- think the moon is made of green cheese — To be very gullible.
- grab a bite — To eat something quickly.
- work for peanuts — To work for very little pay.
- small potatoes — Something unimportant or trivial.
More English idioms
- a rolling stone gathers no moss — Someone who keeps moving never settles or accumulates anything; sometimes also, keeping a…
- little strokes fell great oaks — Small, steady efforts achieve great results.
- have one foot in the grave — To be close to death.
- cast the first stone — To be the first to condemn someone.
- steal a march on — To gain an advantage by acting before someone else.
- the bee's knees — Something or someone excellent.
From our compliments & insults
- 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.
- Testa di rapa — A blockhead who isn't thinking.