A lot on my plate

Meaning

The idiom "a lot on my plate" means that someone has a lot of tasks, responsibilities, or obligations to fulfill. It can also imply that they are busy or occupied with various activities.

Usage

• She was overwhelmed because she had a lot on her plate at work.
• He told me he had a lot on his plate and couldn't make it to the party tonight.
• The manager asked him if he could handle a lot on his plate during the upcoming project.
• My daughter has a lot on her plate, but she manages to keep up with all her schoolwork.
• I feel like I have a lot on my plate right now, but I'm trying not to let it stress me out.

Roots and History

The idiom "a lot on my plate" dates back to the 16th century. It was first used in a collection of proverbs by John Heywood in his book "A Dialogue Conteinyng the Nomber in Effect of All the Prouerbes in the Englishe Tongue." Since then, it has become a common expression used to convey that someone has a lot of things to do or deal with.

Synonyms in English

• A full plate
• A lot on my mind
• A lot to do
• A lot going on
• My hands are full

Synonyms in other languages

• Spanish: Tener mucho que hacer (to have a lot to do)
• French: Avoir beaucoup à faire (to have a lot to do)
• Italian: Avere molti lavori da fare (to have many tasks to do)
• German: Viel zu tun haben (to have a lot to do)
• Japanese: 働きもあるので、疲れたら休めましょうね (work also exists, so let's rest if we feel tired)

Similar Idioms

• sweet tooth

• all hell will let loose

• a cinch