bacon

Used to mock someone's voice as being strange, unpleasant, or inadequate (e.g., for singing). Bacon, being a dietary staple in older times, was often used as a metaphor for financial stability or wealth; having the voice of one who must "beg bacon," then, means having a harsh voice, like someone who is undernourished. Did you hear the way that singer was screeching last night? I'm glad we didn't stay too long, he had a good voice to beg bacon.

Having a corpulent, clean-shaven face, likened to that of a pig. These bacon-faced magistrates, puffed up with their own self-importance, grow fat off the hard work of the poor.

obsolete Overweight and of greasy complexion. Used by the character Falstaff in Shakespeare's Henry IV, referring to the "bacon-fed knaves" whom he is about to rob. Those slovenly, bacon-fed men who feed their faces till near bursting fill me with disgust.

To save someone from imminent or impending trouble, difficulty, or danger. My brother is the best lawyer in town, and he's pulled my bacon out of the fire on more than one occasion! The president gets all the credit for the economic recovery, but it was really a team of international financial strategists that pulled our bacon out of the fire.

To rescue or protect oneself from danger, trouble, or difficulty, usually without regard or concern for the welfare of others. In the face of the IRS audit, the CEO was more concerned with saving his own bacon than ensuring his employees' jobs remained secure. Just be sure not to leave yourself exposed in this scandal—you can be sure that the senator is looking to save her own bacon, and you should be doing the same.

Fig. to earn a salary; to bring home money earned at a job. I've got to get to work if I'm going to bring home the bacon. Go out and get a job so you can bring home the bacon.

Rur. profanity; swearing; curse words. ("Hot" language.) He carried on in language that would fry bacon. I was shocked when I heard that sweet little girl use language that would fry bacon.

Fig. to save someone from injury, embarrassment, or punishment. I saved my skin by getting the job done on time. Thanks for saving my neck! I would have fallen down the stairs if you hadn't held my arm.

Sl. How are you?; What is new? What's shakin' bacon? What's going down? Hi, Jim. What's shakin'?

to prevent something very bad from happening to you It's a short book but it could save your bacon when you're traveling overseas.

to save someone from failure or difficulties You saved my bacon there. I'd probably have lost my job if you hadn't been ready with an explanation.

to save someone from failure or difficulties You saved my skin telling my parents I stayed with you last night.

Also, save one's neck or skin. Rescue one from a difficult situation or harm, as in I was having a hard time changing the flat tire but along came Bud, who saved my bacon, or The boat capsized in icy waters, but the life preservers saved our skins. The allusion in the first term is no longer clear. It may simply be a comical way of referring to one's body or one's life. At the time it was first recorded, in 1654, bacon was a prized commodity, so perhaps saving one's bacon was tantamount to keeping something precious. Both variants allude to saving one's life, the one with skin dating from the early 1500s, and with neck, alluding to beheading, from the late 1600s.