Bacon

UK: /ˈbeɪkən/ US: /ˈbeɪkən/ ,(bā′kən)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Bacon / 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

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ba•con /ˈbeɪkən/   n. [uncountable]

1. Food the back and sides of a hog, salted and dried or smoked.

Idioms

2. Idioms bring home the bacon:
   • to support oneself and one's family.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ba•con  (bā′kən), n. 

1. Food the back and sides of the hog, salted and dried or smoked, usually sliced thin and fried for food.
2. Dialect Terms Also called white bacon. [South Midland and Southern U.S.] pork cured in brine;
   salt pork.
3. Idioms bring home the bacon:
   • to provide for material needs;
     earn a living.
   • 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.
4. Idioms, Informal Terms save one's bacon, [Informal.] to allow one to accomplish a desired end;
   spare one from injury or loss:
   Quick thinking saved our bacon.

• Gmc *bakōn- (Old High German bacho back, ham, bacon) derivative of *baka- back¹; compare Middle Dutch bake bacon
• Anglo-French; Old French bacon
• Middle English bacoun 1300–50

Ba•con  (bā′kən), n. 

1. Biographical Francis (Baron Verulam, Viscount St. Albans), 1561–1626, English essayist, philosopher, and statesman.
2. Biographical Francis, 1910–92, English painter, born in Ireland.
3. Biographical Henry, 1866–1924, U.S. architect.
4. Biographical Nathaniel, 1647–76, American colonist, born in England: leader of a rebellion in Virginia 1676.
5. Biographical Roger ("The Admirable Doctor''), 1214?–94?, English philosopher and scientist.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

bacon / ˈbeɪkən/ noun

1. meat from the back and sides of a pig, dried, salted, and usually smoked
2. bring home the bacon ⇒ to achieve success
3. to provide material support
4. save someone's bacon ⇒ to help someone to escape from danger

Etymology: 12th Century: from Old French bacon, from Old High German bahho; related to Old Saxon baco; see back¹