Buzz
In the United States, pudding occupies a limited role, both in diet and language. However, in merry old England, this seemingly straightforward term has thrived, embedding itself in metaphors and idioms. Its rich history hints at its versatility: initially, it described entrails rather than dessert. Over centuries, pudding has encompassed meanings ranging from sausage and fireworks to ropes, clowns, penises, bombs, dummies, fetuses, and, naturally, the sweet treat we know today. This wide array of interpretations has given rise to numerous idioms, many of which could easily find a place in American vernacular.
1. IN THE PUDDING CLUB
Originating in the late 19th century, this phrase signifies pregnancy. A woman expecting a child might also be described as in the pudding class or pudding way. The connection to pudding stems from the expression pudding in the oven, akin to the American phrase bun in the oven.
2. PUDDING HOUSE
Similarly, pudding house has sometimes referred to the stomach, as illustrated in a 1596 quote by Thomas Nashe: “What a commotion there was in his entrayles or pudding-house for want of food.” In modern terms, “Your stomach’s growling so loudly it could frighten Odin’s ravens.”
3. AND 4. PUDDING CART AND PUDDING PIT
Despite their appetizing names, don’t be deceived: a pudding cart transports waste or animal entrails, while a pudding pit is where such unpleasant materials are dumped. These terms have been in use since the 16th century.
5. NOT WORTH A PUDDING
Since the 16th century, this phrase has served as a substitute for 'not worth a damn.' A 1602 example from the Oxford English Dictionary illustrates this: 'These parish youths, so finely dressed, have little money in their purses, and their stories and verses are not worth a pudding for our trade.' Here, pudding clearly refers to offal.
6. PUDDING-SHAPED
When situations turn pear-shaped, they’ve gone awry—meaning things have taken a bad turn. A 2004 Daily Star article features a less common alternative: 'Cambridge's season is turning distinctly pudding-shaped after the dismissal of French misfit Herve Renard.'
7. PUDDING-EATER
While typically used literally, this term has also carried negative connotations and, as noted in Green’s Dictionary of Slang, a specific professional meaning: pimp.
8. PUDDING-ALE
This uncommon term, dating back to around 1400, describes poor-quality ale. Picture a beer with the thickness of pudding, and you’d likely either swear off beer entirely or start searching for a spoon.
9. A PUDDING OF A ______
Since the late 18th century, this phrase has been used to describe someone or something as exceptionally large. Historical examples include phrases like, 'A great fat pudding boy.' Beyond size, it can also imply a lack of intelligence.
10., 11., AND 12. PUDDING AND GRAVY, PUDDING CHEF, PUDDING AND PIES
Cockney rhyming slang is a vast collection of ingenious, coded phrases, such as using apples and pears to mean stairs. Green’s Dictionary of Slang documents several pudding-related rhyming terms, including pudding and gravy, which has denoted the British Royal Navy since at least 1972. Additionally, if you’re a pudding chef, it means you’re deaf, placing significant emphasis on your pudding and pies: eyes.
13. CAKE AND PUDDING
This phrase signifies something valuable, particularly money. A 1643 example from the OED warns against trading blasphemy for profit: 'You courted God for caikes and pudding.' Such behavior is frowned upon in any sacred text, except perhaps the Pastry Bible.
14. PUDDINGY
Though it might seem like a modern internet term, puddingy has been in use since the 18th century. An 1825 New Monthly Magazine article used it in a description that would be deemed offensive today, or any day: 'A face ruddy, plump, and puddingy.' This word exemplifies how the suffix –y can be attached to almost anything in the English language.
15. PUDDING TIME
In the 16th century, this phrase literally referred to the cherished moment when pudding was served. Over time, pudding time evolved to signify any fortunate or opportune moment. Arriving in pudding time meant showing up at the ideal moment. English essayist Joseph Addison clarified the expression in 1716: 'The usual greeting is, Sir, I am glad to see you, you’ve arrived in Pudding-time.' Though unrelated to the menu, pudding times are akin to what we now call salad days.
