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Glite Dictionary
on a plate

on a plate

1 5.1
To get something very easily without having to work for it
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : en bandeja
  • After months of hard work, the project was completed and the success came on a plate.

She seems very smart and is kind of very gently offering you rape culture on a plate.

Examples

  • The government of Greece gave my head on a plate to Erdogan.

    Blog text (3)

  • Place some flour on a plate and roll the sausages in the flour, then fry the sausages in batches, turning over gently partway through cooking to brown on all sides.

    Blog text (3)

  • He was surprised when his promotion was handed to him on a plate without any effort.

  • Winning the award felt like receiving it on a plate, as I hardly had to compete.

Synonyms

on a silver platter
vson a plate
  • Informal
5 5.1

To get something very easily without having to work for it

is the plainer, neutral way to mean receiving something easily

Antonyms

to struggle
851 2.8

To try very hard to do or deal with something difficult

How Easy

on a plate
  • Informal
1 5.1
earned
2.2
difficult
∞ 1.6

Surface Forms

on a plate positive

Morphology

on + a + plate

The meaning 'given very easily without having to work for it' is metaphorically linked to the literal image of something presented 'on a plate' (ready to be taken), so a learner who knows 'on' and 'plate' can partially infer a sense of being handed or presented something. However, the pragmatic extension to opportunities or promotions is conventionalized and slightly metaphorical rather than strictly compositional; cross-linguistic parallels exist but the exact usage is not fully predictable, so it is best classified as semi-transparent.

Etymology

On a plate may come from the simple image of a meal served ready on a plate. You do not need to cook or fetch it, so on a plate now means 'to receive something very easily, without having to work for it'.