on the house
/ɒn ðə ˈhaʊs/INFORMAL · B2
Meaning
given free by a café, bar or restaurant
Examples
- 1The waiter apologised for the long wait and said our desserts were on the house.
- 2It's the café's birthday today, so the first coffee is on the house.
- 3The chef was so pleased with our compliments that the drinks were on the house.
- 4We didn't pay a penny for the cake because the owner said it was on the house.
- 5Is the bread really on the house, or will they add it to the bill?
Grammar
The phrase is fixed. It usually follows be, or comes after what is free, such as the drinks.
More idioms about home
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →put down rootsto settle in a new place and feel you belong therefly the nestto leave your parents' house and live on your ownoutstay your welcometo stay somewhere as a guest for too longhome sweet homesaid when you are happy to be back in your own houseunder one roofin the same buildingeat someone out of house and hometo consume most of the food someone has at home
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
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