ENGLISH
REFERENCE

feast or famine

idiom
Meaning

A situation in which something is always either extremely abundant or in extremely short supply.


Examples
SIMPLE

My freelance work is always feast or famine.

CONTEXTUAL

The restaurant business is feast or famine, with busy weekends followed by very quiet weekdays.

COMPLEX

The life of a seasonal farmer is often one of feast or famine, depending entirely on the unpredictable nature of the annual harvest.

Anchors to
Related idioms2entries
  1. 01

    ghost at the feast

    A presence that mars one's enjoyment by causing guilt or reviving unwelcome memories.

  2. 02

    skeleton at the feast

    One whose presence brings gloom to a joyous occasion.

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