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Thanksgiving Idioms and Phrases

Idioms that come from the Thanksgiving table and stay useful all year: talk turkey, go cold turkey, to be stuffed, along with several ways of saying thank you. Aimed at intermediate learners who want to sound less like a textbook.

Some of the most-used idioms in American English come from this one meal. Talk turkey means to get down to business; go cold turkey means to stop a habit suddenly and completely; to be stuffed means to have eaten far too much. None of them is confined to November, which is exactly why they are worth learning with a picture attached.

Around them sit the phrases of gratitude the holiday is built on: thanks a lot, I really appreciate it, I am grateful for, that means a lot to me. Learners who know three ways of saying thank you sound natural; learners who know one sound translated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which idioms are connected with Thanksgiving?

Several come straight from the table: talk turkey means to get down to business, go cold turkey means to stop a habit suddenly, and to be stuffed means to have eaten far too much. Around them sit the phrases of gratitude the holiday is built on.

How do I say thank you in more than one way?

Vary the strength: thanks, thank you, thanks a lot, I really appreciate it, I am grateful for, that means a lot to me. Knowing three of these instead of one is what makes a learner sound natural rather than translated.

Do these idioms work outside the holiday?

Yes, and that is why they are worth learning here. Talk turkey and go cold turkey are used all year in ordinary conversation, and the Thanksgiving context simply gives you a picture to attach them to.