potato

couch potato

a lazy individual, addicted to television-watching. All he ever does is watch TV; he's become a real couch potato. Couch potatoes can tend to become very fat and unhealthy, you know.

See also: couch

drop someone or something like a hot potato

Fig. to disassociate oneself with someone or something instantly. When we learned of the conviction, we dropped him like a hot potato. I dropped the idea like a hot potato when the big boss said he didn't like it.

See also: drop, hot, like

small potatoes

something or someone insignificant; small fry. This contract is small potatoes, but it keeps us in business till we get into the real money. Small potatoes are better than no potatoes at all.

See also: small

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a couch potato  (informal)

a person who does not like physical activity and prefers to sit down, usually to watch television

Usage notes: A couch is a piece of furniture that people sit on.

The remote control television was invented for couch potatoes.

See also: couch

a hot potato  (informal)

something that is difficult or dangerous to deal with The abortion issue is a political hot potato in the United States.

See also: hot

drop somebody/something like a hot brick/potato  (informal)

to suddenly get rid of someone or something that you have been involved with because you do not want them any more or you are worried they may cause problems The government dropped the plan like a hot brick when they realized the bad feeling it was causing.

See also: brick, drop, hot, like

small beer  (British, American & Australian informal) also small potatoes (American & Australian informal)

something that is not important, especially when compared to something else A loan of that size is small beer - these banks are lending millions of pounds a day. And we are not talking small potatoes - building the airport means many people in the area will lose their homes.

See also: beer, small

the meat and potatoes  (American informal)

the most important or basic parts of something They stuck to the meat and potatoes of broadcasting - sports and news. (American informal)

See also: and, meat