English idioms relating to

ANIMALS - BIRDS - FISH - INSECTS

Like a bat ot o! hell
If something moves like a bat ot o! hell, it moves very quickly.
"He grabbed the envelope and ran like a bat out of hell."
Like a bear "ith a sore head
If someone is behaving like a bear "ith a sore head, they are
very irritable and bad-tempered.
"When his team lost the match, Brad as like a bear ith a sore
head."
Eager bea#er
!he term eager bea#er refers to a person ho is hardorking
and enthusiastic, sometimes considered over"ealous.
"!he ne accountant orks all the time - first to arrive and last to
leave - a real eager beaver#"
Ha#e a bee in one$s bonnet
$ person ho has a bee in their bonnet has an idea hich
constantly occupies their thoughts.
The bee$s knees
If you say that someone or something is the bee$s knees, you
think
they are e%ceptionally good.
"&ulie thinks she's the bee's knees" means that &ulie has a
high opinion of herself#
Birds o! a !eather
!o say that to people are birds o! a !eather means that they
are very similar in many ays.
%ill t"o birds "ith one stone&
If you kill t"o birds "ith one stone, you succeed in doing
to things at the same time.
"By studying on the train on the ay home every eek-end,
(laire kills to birds ith one stone."
Like a red !lag to a bll
!o say that a statement or action is like a red !lag to a bll
means that it is sure to make someone very angry or upset.
")on't mention !om's promotion to *ike. It ould be like a red
flag to a bull#"
Take the bll b' the horns
!o take the bll b' the horns means that a person decides to
act decisively in order to deal ith a difficult situation or problem.
A so(ial btter!l'
!his term refers to a person ho has a lot of friends and
acquaintances
and likes to flit from one social event to another.
"&ulie is constantly out and about+ she's a real so(ial btter!l'."
A (at in glo#es (at(hes no mi(e
!his e%pression means that if you are too careful and polite, you
may not obtain hat you ant.
",egotiate carefully, but remember - a (at in glo#es (at(hes no
mi(e#"
A (at (an look at a king&
!his e%pression means that nobody is so important that an
ordinary
person cannot look at or be curious about them.
A !at (at
!o refer to a rich and poerful person as a !at (at means that
you disapprove of the ay they use their money or poer.
Herding (ats
!his e%pression refers to the difficulty of coordinating a situation
hich
involves people ho all ant to act independently.
".rgani"ing an outing for a group of people from different
countries
is like herding (ats#
Let the (at ot o! the bag
If you let the (at ot o! the bag, you reveal a secret,
often not intentionally.
Like a (at on hot bri(ks $ person ho is like a (at on hot bri(ks is very nervous or
restless.
"!he eek before the results ere published, she as like a cat
on
hot bricks."
Like something the (at
dragged in
If you compare a person or thing to something the (at dragged
in,
you think they look dirty, untidy or generally unappealing.
"*y teenage son often looks like something the cat dragged in."
)la' (at and mose
!o *la' (at and mose ith someone means to treat them
alternately cruelly and kindly, so that they do not kno hat to
e%pect.
Raining (ats and dogs
If it's raining (ats and dogs, it's raining very heavily.
"We'll have to cancel the picnic I'm afraid. It's raining cats and
dogs."
+ait !or the (at to ,m*
If you "ait !or the (at to ,m*, or to see "hi(h "a' the (at
,m*s,
you delay taking action until you see ho events ill turn out.
"/et's ait for the cat to 0ump before e decide."
Chi(ken ot o! something
If you (hi(ken ot of something, you decide not to do something
because you are afraid.
"He decided to 0oin a karate class, but chickened out of it at the
last minute#"
Like a headless (hi(ken
If a person rushes about like a headless (hi(ken, they act in a
disorderly ay, ithout thinking or analy"ing the situation
carefully.
"$s soon as the store opened, my mother started running around
like a headless chicken, eager to find bargains."
Till the (o"s (ome home
!o say that a person could do something till the (o"s (ome
home
means that they could do it for a long time.
"1ou can ask till the cos come home, but I'm not buying you a
scooter#"
Cro(odile tears
!o shed (ro(odile tears means to shed false tears or sho
insincere
grief&
"(aroline pretended to be sad but e all kne her tears ere
crocodile
tears."
Eat (ro"
If you eat (ro", you admit that you ere rong about something
and
apologi"e.
"He had no option but to eat cro and admit that his analysis as
rong."
As the (ro" !lies
!his e%pression refers to distance measured in a straight line.
"It's to miles from here to the station as the (ro" !lies,
but of course it's much further by road."
Dog$s li!e
2eople use this e%pression hen complaining about a situation or
0ob
hich they find unpleasant or unsatisfactory.
"It's a dog$s li!e orking in the after-sales department."
Dog eat dog
!his e%pression refers to intense competition and rivalry in
pursuit of
one's on interests, ith no concern for morality.
"!he business orld is tough today. !here's a general dog-eat-
dog
attitude."
A dog in the manger
$ person referred to as a dog in the manger is someone ho
stops others en0oying something he cannot use or doesn't ant.
E#er' dog has its da'
!his e%pression means that everyone can be successful at
something
at some time in their life.
"I didn't in this time, but I'll be lucky one day. E#er' dog has its
da'-"
.i#e a dog a bad name
2eople ho lose their reputation have difficulty regaining it
because
others continue to blame or suspect them.
"!om as suspected as usual. .i#e a dog a bad name#"
Hel* a lame dog o#er stile
If you hel* a lame dog o#er stile, you help someone ho is in
difficulty
or trouble.
"1ou can trust him - he alays helps a lame dog over a stile."
Like a dog "ith t"o tails&
If somebody is like a dog "ith t"o tails, they are e%tremely
happy.
"When 2aul on the first pri"e, he as like a dog ith to tails."
A dog$s break!ast
!o describe something as a dog$s break!ast means that it is a
complete
mess.
"!he ne secretary made a dog's breakfast out of the filing
system#"
.o to the dogs
!o say that a company, organi"ation or country is going to the
dogs
means that it is becoming less successful or efficient than before.
"3ome think the company ill go to the dogs if it is nationali"ed."
Let slee*ing dogs lie
If you tell somebody to let slee*ing dogs lie, you are asking
them
not to interfere ith a situation because they could cause
problems.
The tail "agging the dog
!his e%pression is used to refer to a situation here there is a
reversal
of roles, ith a small or minor element of something having a
controlling
influence on the most important element&
"If you let your children decide on everything, it ill be a case of
the tail
"agging the dog."
+h' kee* a dog and bark
'orsel!/
!his e%pression means that if someone can do a task for you,
there's no reason to do it yourself.
"!he shuttle stops in front of our house but my father continues to
drive to the airport. +h' kee* a dog and bark 'orsel!-"
Dog and *on' sho"
$ dog and *on' sho" is a marketing event or presentation
hich has
plenty of style but not much content&
Donke' "ork
!his e%pression is used to describe the unpleasant, boring parts
of
a 0ob.
"I do the donke' "ork - my boss gets the credit#"
Talk the hind leg o!! a donke'
!his e%pression is used to describe a very talkative person.
"It's difficult to end a conversation ith Betty.
3he could talk the hind leg o!! a donke'-0
Take to something like a d(k
to "ater
If you take to something like a d(k to "ater1 you do it
naturally
and easily, ithout fear or hesitation.
"When 3ophie first tried skiing, she took to it like a duck to ater"
A sitting d(k
$ sitting d(k is an easy target, a person ho is easy to
deceive.
"!he young girl as a sitting duck for the photographer."
Like "ater o!! a d(k$s ba(k
!o say that something, such as criticism or advice, is like "ater
o!! a d(k$s ba(k means that it has no effect at all.
"He's arned of the dangers of smoking but it's like ater off a
duck's back."
Fish in trobled "aters
If you !ish in trobled "aters, you try to gain advantages for
yourself
from a disturbed state of affairs.
"Beteen the declaration of independence and the first elections,
some people ere accused of fishing in troubled aters."
Fish ot o! "ater
If you feel like a !ish ot o! "ater , you feel uncomfortable
because of an unfamiliar situation or unfamiliar surroundings.
"$s a non-golfer, I felt like a fish out of ater at the clubhouse."
A di!!erent kettle o! !ish
!o describe a person, thing or situation as a di!!erent kettle o!
!ish
means that it is completely different from hat as previously
mentioned&
"1ou may have good business relations, but living in the country
is a
different kettle of fish."
Drink like a !ish
$ person ho drinks like a !ish is a heavy drinker or one ho
drinks
a lot.
"I'm nervous if &oe drives hen e go out because he drinks like
a fish#"
Ha#e other !ish to !r'
$ person ho has other !ish to !r', has more important things to
do.
"I don't think he'll attend the office party+ he's got other fish to fry."
There are 2*lent' o!3 other !ish in
the sea
!o say this means that that there are many other people 0ust as
good
as the one somebody failed to get.
"!he candidate e chose refused the 0ob4 ,ever mind - there are
other
fish in the sea#
Neither !ish nor !o"l
!his is said to describe people or things that are difficult to
classify,
that are neither one thing nor another.
Interns are neither !ish nor !o"l.
!hey are neither students nor fully qualified practitioners.
Flea in one$s ear
$fter an attempt at something, if you are sent aay ith a !lea in
'or ear, you are angrily reprimanded or humiliated.
"When he tried to put the blame on 2ete, he as sent aay ith
a flea in his ear."
Dro* like !lies
If people dro* like !lies, they fall ill or die in large numbers.
"!here's an epidemic of flu at the moment. 3enior citi"ens are
dropping like flies."
Fl' in the ointment
!he e%pression a !l' in the ointment refers to someone or
something
that prevents a situation from being completely satisfactory.
"!ony's poor 5nglish as a fly in the ointment hen he applied for
the 0ob."
Fl' on the "all
!his e%pression is used to describe a person ho atches a
situation
ithout being noticed.
"I'd like to be a !l' on the "all hen the management discusses
my
pro0ect."
Ha#e a !rog in one$s throat
$ person ho has a !rog in their throat has difficulty in speaking
clearly, because they have a cough or a sore throat.
"!eaching as difficult today. I had a frog in my throat all
morning."
All his geese are s"ans
!his e%pression refers to someone ho constantly e%aggerates
the
importance of somebody or something.
")on't let him impress you. He alays e%aggerates+ all his
geese
are s"ans-"
Cook somebod'$s goose
!o (ook somebod'$s goose means to spoil that person's
chance of
success.
"When the burglar sa the police car arriving, he reali"ed his
goose as
cooked."
Ha#e goose *im*les
If you ha#e goose *im*les, you are so cold or so afraid that
your skin is temporarily raised into little lumps.
"I as so scared that I had goose pimples all through the film#"
A "ild goose (hase -
If you say that you ere sent on a "ild goose (hase, you mean
that
you asted a lot of time looking for something that there as little
chance
of finding.
"!hey tried to find out ho sent the anonymous complaint,
but it turned out to be a ild goose chase."
.inea *ig
2eople ho are used as ginea *igs are people on hom
ne methods, treatment or ideas are tested.
Ba(k or bet on the "rong horse
If you ba(k or bet on the "rong horse, for e%ample the loser in
a
contest, match or election, you support the rong person.
"When I voted for him, I as convinced he ould in, but I
backed
the rong horse#"
.et on 'or high horse
If you get on 'or high horse, you start behaving in a haughty
manner,
as though you should be treated ith more respect.
"He got on his high horse hen he as asked to sho his
membership
card."
A dark horse
If you refer to a person as a "dark horse", you mean that they
are secretive, or that little is knon about them.
I (old eat a horse-
!o say that you (old eat a horse means that you are very
hungry.
"/et's get something to eat. I'm starving. I could eat a horse#"
4ne-horse to"n
$ place referred to as a one-horse to"n is a small, boring ton
here nothing much ever happens.
"I ish my grandparents didn't live in that one-horse ton. It's
such
a boring place#"
+alk into the lion$s den
If you "alk into the lion$s den, you find yourself in a difficult
situation
in hich you have to face unfriendly or aggressive people.
Like a moth to a !lame
!o say that a person is attracted to someone or something like a
moth
to a !lame means that the attraction is so strong they cannot
resist.
"He's dran to the casino like a moth to a flame."
Mose *otato
!his term refers to a person ho spends a lot of time in front of
the
computer.
"*y son and his friends are all mose *otatoes - constantly
glued to
the computer#"
As stbborn as a mle
If someone is as stbborn as a mle1 they are very obstinate
and
unilling to listen to reason or change their mind.
"His friends advised him to accept the offer, but you kno &ack -
he's as stubborn as a mule#"
The "orld is 'or o'ster
!his e%pression means that you are free and able to en0oy the
pleasures
and opportunities that life has to offer.
"3he left college feeling that the "orld "as her o'ster."
)rod as a *ea(o(k
$ person ho is as *rod as a *ea(o(k is e%tremely proud&
"When his son on first pri"e, Bill as as proud as a peacock."
)igs might !l'
2also5 "hen *igs ha#e "ings3
!o say "&&&and *igs might !l' e%presses disbelief, or the idea that
miracles might happen but are e%tremely unlikely.
"*y grandmother buying a computer4 ... 1eah, and pigs might
fly#"
Make a *ig o! 'orsel!
If you make a *ig o! 'orsel!, you eat and drink too much.
"Watch hat you eat - don't make a pig of yourself#"
Shank$s *on'
If you go somehere on Shank$s *on', you have to alk rather
than
travel by bus, car, etc.
"It as impossible to find a ta%i after the party so it as 3hank's
pony
for us#"
Smell a rat
!o say "I smell a rat" means that you suspect that something is
rong, or that someone is doing something dishonest or
incorrect.
)a(ked like sardines
If a group of people are *a(ked like sardines, they are pressed
together tightly and uncomfortably because there is not enough
space.
"!he bus as very croded - e ere packed like sardines#"
A snake in the grass
!his e%pression refers to someone ho pretends to be your
friend
hile actually betraying you.
"I thought I could trust my ne colleague but he turned out to be
a snake in the grass."
Bla(k shee*
!he bla(k shee* of the family is one ho is very different from
the
others, and least respected by the other members of the family,
Like trke's #oting !or
Christmas
!his e%pression is used to say that a particular option is unlikely
to be chosen because it ould not be in the interest of the people
concerned.
6In many countries people eat turkey at (hristmas.7
"5%pecting them to accept a decrease in salary ould be
like trke's #oting !or Christmas-"
Ha#e a "hale o! a time
When people ha#e a "hale o! a time, they en0oy themselves
very much.
"We had a hale of a time at the party last night."
+orm$s-e'e #ie"
!o offer a "orm$s-e'e #ie" of a situation is to give your opinion
based on hat you see at close range from an inferior position,
so it is therefore not a general vie&
"I'm not sure I can be of much help. I can only offer you a
orm's-eye vie of the situation.