# butter one's bread on both sides

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/butter-ones-bread-on-both-sides
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To profit from two things at the same time, especially when those things seem contradictory or incompatible.

## Examples

- He tries to butter his bread on both sides by working for two rivals.
- She keeps her job at the bank while running a secret startup, effectively buttering her bread on both sides.
- The politician attempted to butter his bread on both sides by courting the radical activists while simultaneously securing funding from the corporate elite.

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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.