the honeymoon period
Meaning: The early, happy stage of a new relationship or arrangement, before problems appear.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The new manager's honeymoon period ended with the first budget cuts.”
Category: Food & Drink
Origin: "Honeymoon" dates from the 16th century, suggesting that the sweetness of marriage, like the moon, soon wanes. "Honeymoon period" for new governments, jobs and so on is from the 20th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Une lune de miel — literally: A honey moon
More idioms — Food & Drink
- 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.
- a poisoned chalice — Something that seems attractive but brings trouble to whoever accepts it.
More English idioms
- for donkey's years — For a very long time.
- since time immemorial — For longer than anyone can remember.
- cry one's eyes out — To cry very hard and for a long time.
- make sheep's eyes at — To look at someone in a lovesick, foolish way (dated).
- much ado about nothing — A lot of fuss about something unimportant.
- you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar — Kindness persuades people better than harshness.
From our tongue twisters
- Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said the butter's bitter. — A 'b / t / tt' plosive drill that bounces between Betty, butter, and bitter.
- She sells seashells by the seashore. — The definitive 's' versus 'sh' alternation — the tongue has to switch place of articulati…
- Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. — A relentless 'p' plosive drill; a peck is an old dry measure of about nine litres.