subs. (old).—Employment, cf. BREAD AND CHEESE = a bare subsistence; plain living; needful food. Whence a BREAD-AND-CHEESE BOOK (publishers’) = a book that has a steady sale; one that year in and out has a certain even if small demand. BREAD-AND-SCRAPE = the poorest of living.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. BREAD AND CHEESE Bowling-green, a very ord’nary one, where they play for Drink and Tobacco, all wet, as ’tis called.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. Out of BREAD, out of employment.
1809. MALKIN, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 235. I was not such a fool as to quarrel with my BREAD-AND-BUTTER. Ibid., 26. I should want for nothing in the BREAD AND WATER way.
1858. A. TROLLOPE, Doctor Thorne, xxxv. He’s got what will buy him BREAD AND CHEESE, when the Rads shut up the church.
1873. BROUGHTON, Nancy, xlvii. Some people have their happiness thinly spread over their whole lives, like BREAD AND SCRAPE!
TO TAKE BREAD AND SALT, verb. phr. (old).—To swear; to take an oath: formerly the eating of bread and salt were parts of the act.
1586–1606. WARNER, Albion’s England, iv. 22.
| The traitrous earle TOOK BREAD and said, so this digested be | |
| As I am guiltlesse of his death; these words he scarcely spoke, | |
| But that in presence of the king the bread did Goodwyn choke. |
1602. DEKKER, The Honest Whore [DODSLEY, Old Plays], iii. 350. And there be no faith in men, if a man shall not believe oaths. He took BREAD AND SALT by this light, that he would never open his lips. Ibid. (1605), Eastward Hoe, v. 1 (REED), iv. 278. Our hostess (profane woman!) has sworn by BREAD AND SALT, she will not trust us another meal.
d. 1612. B. RICH, Description of Ireland, 29. I will trust him better that offereth to sweare by BREAD AND SALT, than him that offereth to sweare by the Bible.
1613. BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, The Honest Man’s Fortune, ii. My friends, no later than yesternight, made me TAKE BREAD AND EAT IT, that I should not do it for any man breathing i’ th’ world.
TO KNOW ON WHICH SIDE ONE’S BREAD IS BUTTERED, verb. phr. (common).—To recognise one’s interests.
1546. HEYWOOD, Proverbs, s.v.
TO TAKE THE BREAD OUT OF ONE’S MOUTH, verb. phr. (common).—To deprive of the means of livelihood.
BREAD BUTTERED ON BOTH SIDES, phr. (common).—The height of good fortune; the best of luck.
