Bread and butter

Posted by ESC on January 01, 2001

In Reply to: Bread and butter posted by fran s on January 01, 2001

: Hi,
: ...looking for the derivation of this phrase and meaning ( bread and butter).
: THANK YOU!

BREAD AND BUTTER - One meaning of this phrase is one's livelihood - how you get money (bread) to pay the rent ("keep a roof over your head) and buy food and send the kids to college. The use of the phrase in this manner is: "to quarrel with one's bread and butter - To complain about one's means of livelihoood, to act against one's best interests.our English phrase for expressing such lack of reason dates back not more than two centuries." From Heavens to Betsy! and Other Curious Sayings by Charles Earle Funk (Harper & Row, New York, 1955).

There's another use of the phrase regarding etiquette but I'm not sure about this one. I believe "bread and butter notes" are thank you cards or letters. Can anyone confirm that?

• Bread and butter notes James Briggs 01/01/01
  • Illegitimatum Uncarborundum Mel Jackson 02/25/01
    • Illegitimatum Uncarborundum marcus 02/26/01
  • Bread and butter notes Bob 01/01/01
    • Bread and butter notes marcus 01/02/01