What Does 'Ate My Parents Out of House and Home' Mean?
The phrase 'ate my parents out of house and home' is an idiom used to describe a situation where someone has consumed a very large quantity of food, often to the extent of causing a significant financial burden on the people providing it. It implies that the cost of feeding them is so high it could metaphorically lead to financial ruin or depletion of resources.
Understanding the Idiom
This informal expression is usually used to exaggerate the amount of food someone eats, often in a humorous or slightly exasperated way. It's not meant to be taken literally, as very few individuals could genuinely consume enough food to cause someone to lose their actual house.
What it Figuratively Means
When someone says they "ate their parents out of house and home," they are typically conveying these key aspects:
- Excessive Food Consumption: The primary meaning revolves around eating an unusually large amount of food.
- Financial Strain: The "out of house and home" part highlights the significant cost or expense associated with feeding the person. It suggests that the food budget is being heavily impacted.
- Dependence on Others: This idiom almost always applies to someone who is being provided for, such as a child, a growing teenager, or a guest staying for an extended period.
- Informal and Exaggerated: It's a casual phrase, often used hyperbolically to emphasize a big appetite rather than a literal threat of homelessness.
Common Scenarios and Examples
This phrase is most commonly applied in situations where there's a perceived, or actual, high demand for food, particularly by younger individuals or guests.
- Growing Teenagers: Parents often use this phrase playfully about their adolescents during growth spurts, who seem to have insatiable appetites after school or sports.
- Example: "My son just came home from football practice; he's going to eat us out of house and home tonight!"
- Adult Children Living at Home: When adult children return to live with their parents, especially if they have significant appetites, the phrase might be used to describe the increased grocery bill.
- Example: "Ever since John moved back in, I feel like he's eating us out of house and home."
- Guests or Extended Stays: If a guest stays for a long time and consumes a lot of food, the host might use this idiom, perhaps in jest.
- Example: "My cousin stayed with us for a month, and he nearly ate us out of house and home with his massive breakfasts."
Why "Out of House and Home"?
The "out of house and home" component emphasizes the financial impact. Historically, a family's "house and home" represented their entire livelihood and assets. By saying someone "ate them out of house and home," it dramatically implies that the food consumption is so great it's depleting their resources to an unsustainable level, as if it could lead to them losing everything they own. It underscores the burden of providing for a voracious appetite.
This idiom vividly paints a picture of extreme consumption, making it a memorable and frequently used expression in casual conversation.
