bubble and squeak
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Sense 1
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Beef and cabbage fried together. It is so called from its bubbling up and squeaking whilst over the fire.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “bubble and squeak” mean?
A Greek.
Is “bubble and squeak” formal or informal?
bubble and squeak is generally slang.