# apples and pears

idiom · Slang

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/apples-and-pears
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

stairs

## Examples

- I am going up the apples and pears to my bedroom.
- Be careful when you walk down the apples and pears because they are quite steep.
- He carefully navigated the creaky apples and pears, hoping to reach the attic without waking the rest of the house.

## Origin

To the Cockney, the phrase "steps and stairs" describes the idea of gradation. Every good costermonger has skill in displaying the front of his stall. The selected samples of fruit and vegetables are expertly graded in "steps and stairs". Apples and pears, when in season, are common on each barrow and, when polished, create an arresting display.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.