bacon

¹

[bey-kuhn]

noun

1. the back and sides of the hog, salted and dried or smoked, usually sliced thin and fried for food.

2. Also called white bacon. South Midland and Southern U.S.,  pork cured in brine; salt pork.

Bacon

²

[bey-kuhn]

noun

1. Francis Baron Verulam, Viscount St. Albans, 1561–1626, English essayist, philosopher, and statesman.

2. Francis, 1910–92, English painter, born in Ireland.

3. Henry, 1866–1924, U.S. architect.

4. Nathaniel, 1647–76, American colonist, born in England: leader of a rebellion in Virginia 1676.

5. Roger The Admirable Doctor, 1214?–94?, English philosopher and scientist.

bacon

¹

/ ˈbeɪkən /

noun

1. meat from the back and sides of a pig, dried, salted, and usually smoked

2. informal

   1. to achieve success

   2. to provide material support

3. informal,  to help someone to escape from danger

Bacon

²

/ ˈbeɪkən /

noun

1. Francis , Baron Verulam, Viscount St Albans. 1561–1626, English philosopher, statesman, and essayist; described the inductive method of reasoning: his works include Essays (1625), The Advancement of Learning (1605), and Novum Organum (1620)

2. Francis . 1909–92, British painter, born in Dublin, noted for his distorted, richly coloured human figures, dogs, and carcasses

3. Roger . ?1214–92, English Franciscan monk, scholar, and scientist: stressed the importance of experiment, demonstrated that air is required for combustion, and first used lenses to correct vision. His Opus Majus (1266) is a compendium of all the sciences of his age

Bacon

1. English scientist and philosopher who is noted for the wide range of his knowledge and writing on scientific topics. Bacon pioneered the idea that mathematics is fundamental to science and that experimentation is essential to test scientific theories.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bacon¹

1300–50; Middle English bacoun < Anglo-French; Old French bacon < Germanic *bakōn- ( Old High German bacho back, ham, bacon) derivative of *baka- back ¹; compare Middle Dutch bake bacon

Word History and Origins

Origin of bacon¹

C12: from Old French bacon , from Old High German bahho ; related to Old Saxon baco ; see _back ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. bring home the bacon,

   1. to provide for material needs; earn a living.

   2. to accomplish a task; be successful or victorious.

      Our governor went to Washington to appeal for disaster relief and brought home the bacon—$40 million.

2. save one's bacon, to allow one to accomplish a desired end; spare one from injury or loss.

   Quick thinking saved our bacon.

see bring home the bacon; save one's bacon.

Example Sentences

A $9 grilled cheese sandwich came with a measly piece of bacon, thick globs of half-melted cheese and two slices of burnt Texas Toast.

From Salon

Toss with rigatoni, add crisped pancetta or bacon if you like, then shower with goat cheese.

From Salon

He said the strategy was "more about trying to save the SNP's bacon" than win independence.

From BBC

BBC Radio Wales would broadcast the festival live and a cannon would even fire bacon butties into the campsite in the mornings, or so he claimed.

From BBC

If I’m in the mood, I’ll make some turkey bacon and make sure it’s extra crispy, and I drink my Red Bull sugar free.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• pancetta 
• pork