# keep the pot boiling

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/keep-the-pot-boiling
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To maintain one's livelihood; to continue to procure the necessities of living.

## Examples

- He works two jobs to keep the pot boiling.
- After the factory closed, she took a part-time job at the bakery just to keep the pot boiling.
- Despite the economic downturn, the small business owner struggled daily to keep the pot boiling for his family.

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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.