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(Have a) bun in the oven

This phrase is an English idiom referring to a woman who is pregnant. For example: Peter was surprised when Mary told him that she has a bun in the oven.

The origin is unclear, but it has become a common saying in many countries that use English as official language. It appears to have been in use since the early or mid-20th century. There are literary references that go back as early as the 1950s. This phrase began to appear in films, television programs and other culture mediums a bit later.

Spill the beans

This idiom means to give away a secret or a surprise. As we see in this example: She didn't realize and she spilled the beans about the party.

Its origin is said to be related to a voting system in ancient Greece. 'Spill' has been used as a verb which means 'let out' since at least the 16th century. That 'let out' meaning was probably influenced by an earlier meaning of 'spill', that is, 'kill' and the usage of it in 'spill blood', which was in common use by the 14th century.  But the earliest uses of 'spill the beans' come from the USA. The meaning of the idiom was then something like 'spoil the beans' or 'upset the applecart', which harks back to the supposed Greek knocking over of a bean container.

The big cheese

The meaning of this idiom is an important or powerful person in a group or organization. For example: Her mother is the big cheese of that chain of supermarkets.

In earlier times the cheese didn't have to be big - 'the cheese' alone was a synonym for quality. Early in the 20th century the cheese crossed the Atlantic to the USA, and there it got big. The first reference there to 'big cheese' meaning wealth or fame comes from’. 'Big cheese' in the 'important person' sense comes a little late. The first reference found is from The Olean Evening Times, June 1922.