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It's been a slice. I don't see this idiom in any of the dictionaries online. Why could be that?
Separately, suppose I had an enjoyable time with my friends and then later that day somebody asks me how was it. Which of these is correct:

  • It's been a slice.
  • It was a slice.
    Not sure if one could use this modified. It was a slice thingy
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3 Answers 3

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I don't see this idiom in any of the dictionaries online. Why could that be?

Perhaps because it isn't an idiom - at least not yet. For a phrase to be an idiom - defined as a group of words whose meaning considered as a unit is different from the meanings of each word considered separately - it has to be recognisable by most English speakers and have taken on a unique meaning of its own through wide use. I have certainly never heard this before, and if most native English speakers have to Google it to understand its meaning, it isn't really an idiom.

I note that it has appeared in a couple of recent books and that it was added to a 'wiki' dictionary in June 2022. Perhaps it will catch on, or perhaps you'll forever be explaining it to people. Time will tell.

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  • I've been familiar with it since at least the 90s. See my answer for more details
    – gotube
    Jun 25 at 20:24
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    @gotube I used to know a guy who would say 'cool onions' instead of 'cool beans'. Everyone thought he was an idiot.
    – Astralbee
    Jun 26 at 7:59
  • I do find this on wiktionary and idioms.thefreedictionary.com but not on any of the standard dictionaries like oxford, Cambridge, etc. Searching on google books it does show some results https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=%22it%27s+been+a+slice%22 This is somewhat surprising to me. How come the author's been using this without any standard dictionary having a reference to it?
    – nicku
    Jun 26 at 11:20
  • @Astralbee The first person I heard use "cool beans" said "cool bananas" instead. I thought people who said "cool beans" were weird until I realized there was only one person who said "cool bananas".
    – gotube
    Jun 26 at 17:08
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I had never heard this phrase before, but I looked at Google Ngram Viewer and, while it is very rare, it does occur.

Then I Googled and found the phrase in Wiktionary.

Given this, your first choice is correct, and it would probably be understood in context, but it's quite an unusual usage.

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  • Wikitionary says it's used "when departing" so you wouldn't use it in the context the OP suggests.
    – James K
    Jun 25 at 12:32
  • McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Idioms (2005): It ’s been a slice! Slang. It’s been good. Example usages: Good-bye and thank you. It’s been a slice! ... It’s been a slice. I hope to see you again some day. But I seriously doubt it'll ever become "mainstream", since any metaphorical allusion is somewhat lost on me (A slice of what? A slice of life? pizza?). Jun 25 at 12:33
  • Downvoters: care to comment? Do you not recognize the expression yourself, or is this answer incorrect?
    – gotube
    Jun 26 at 17:09
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This expression is only used with the present perfect as a shared experience is ending, or as you're leaving an event. It cannot be used in the simple past to describe a past event.


Since few seem to know the expression and I've been familiar with it since at least the 90s, I'll add some more info about it.

The shared experience can be a relationship, living situation, shared workplace, vacation, social event, etc.

I've understood it comes from "It's been a slice of life", but it has a more positive feeling than that, so it's not the same thing.

It's commonly used sarcastically, perhaps more often than sincerely.

I'm Canadian, so it might be a Canadianism.

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    Downvoters: care to comment? Do you not recognize the expression yourself, or is this answer incorrect?
    – gotube
    Jun 26 at 17:09

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