Eggs aren’t just for breakfast—they’ve been scrambled into English too! Think about someone putting “all their eggs in one basket” before a big exam, or a teacher asking you to “stop walking on eggshells” and just speak up. These egg-inspired idioms describe everything from risks to caution, good behaviour to silly mistakes. Just like a cracked shell can reveal something unexpected inside, these sayings crack open fresh ways to make conversations fun, colourful, and easy to remember. In today’s DHiE, let’s explore some eggy expressions you’ll want to keep in your language basket.Walk on eggshellsMeaning: Be very careful with what you say or do.Example: I had to walk on eggshells when talking to my upset friend.Good eggMeaning: A kind or dependable person.Example: He always helps his classmates—he’s a good egg.Bad eggMeaning: A dishonest or untrustworthy person.Example: The coach warned us not to follow that bad egg.Egg on your faceMeaning: To feel embarrassed after a mistake.Example: I had egg on my face when I forgot my own lines in the play.Don’t teach your grandmother to suck eggsMeaning: Don’t try to teach someone something they already know well.Example: Telling the librarian how to organise books is like teaching your grandmother to suck eggs.Egg someone onMeaning: To encourage someone (often into trouble).Example: The boys egged him on to climb the tree.Kill the goose that lays the golden eggsMeaning: To destroy something valuable by being greedy.Example: Spending all your savings at once is like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.Like a bad eggMeaning: Something unpleasant or rotten.Example: His excuses smelled like a bad egg.Nest eggMeaning: Money saved for the future.Example: She kept a small nest egg for emergencies.Lay an eggMeaning: To fail badly.Example: The comedian laid an egg when nobody laughed at his jokes.EggheadMeaning: A very studious or intellectual person.Example: He’s such an egghead—always reading science books.Hatch a planMeaning: To carefully think out a scheme or idea.Example: We hatched a plan to surprise our teacher on her birthday.Don’t count your chickens before they hatchMeaning: Don’t assume success before it happens.Example: He was sure he’d win the prize, but I told him not to count his chickens before they hatch.
