Meaning of Idiom ‘Easy as Falling off a Log’
When something is easy as falling off a log, it is very easy to do. 1Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013., 2Spears, Richard A. McGraw-Hill’s American Idioms Dictionary]. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008.
See similar idioms:
Easy as ABC
Easy as Pie
Dead Easy
Piece of Cake
Cakewalk
Examples Of Use
“Compared to this, my old job was as easy as falling off a log.”
“I don’t think I can learn to drive,” said Patrick. “Sure you can, it’s easy as falling off a log.”
“The new ordering system is easy as falling off a log.”
Origin
Used since around the 1830s. 3Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
This idiom alludes to standing on a log that is floating down a river and how difficult it is to remain standing on the log because it rolls under one’s feet, making it very easy to ‘roll off.’ Easy as rolling off a log is a variant, though no longer used.
Mark Twain used it in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, from 1889:
“I could do it as easy as rolling off a log.”
More Idioms Starting with E
More ‘Easy’ Idioms
More Fall Idioms
More Log Idioms
More Off Idioms
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Sources
| 1, 3. | ↲ | Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013. |
| 2. | ↲ | Spears, Richard A. McGraw-Hill’s American Idioms Dictionary]. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008. |