English idioms relating to

ANIMALS - BIRDS - FISH - INSECTS

People who have ___________________________ are very
restless or excited about
Ants in one's pants something
"I wish he'd relax. He's got __________________ about
something today!"
If you behave so stupidly that you appear ridiculous, you
_____________________________
Make an ass of yourself
"Tom made an ____________________ by singing a love
song outside Julie's door!"
If something moves ___________________, it moves very
quickly.
Like a bat out of hell "He grabbed the envelope and ran like a
____________________."
If someone is behaving
______________________________, they are
Like a bear with a sore head very irritable and bad-tempered.
"When his team lost the match, Brad was
_________________________________-
If someone breaks the back of the beast, they succeed in
overcoming
a major difficulty.
Break the back of the beast
"After hours of effort, the technicians finally broke the back of
the beast
and turned the electricity back on again."
The term ______________________ refers to a person who
is hardworking and
enthusiastic, sometimes considered overzealous.
Eager beaver
"The new accountant works all the time - first to arrive and
last to leave
- _______________________!"
A person who has ___________________________ has an
idea which constantly
Have a bee in one's bonnet occupies their thoughts.
"She's got a ________________________ about moving to
New York."
If you say that someone or something is the
_____________________, you think
The bee's knees they are exceptionally good.
"Julie thinks she's _____________________" means that
Julie has a high opinion of herself!
To say that two people are _________________ means that
Birds of a feather
they are very similar in many ways.
If you think something is for the birds, you consider it to be
For the birds uninteresting, useless, or not to be taken seriously.
"As far as I'm concerned, his theory is for the birds!"
If you ____________________________ you succeed in
doing two things at the same time.
Kill two birds with one stone.
"By studying on the train on the way home every week-end,
Claire _________________________________."
Snug as a bug in a rug. This is a humorous way of saying that you are warm and
comfortable.
"Wrapped up in a blanket on the sofa, she looked as snug as
a bug
 in a rug."
To say that a statement or action is
_______________________________ means
Like a red flag to a bull that it is sure to make someone very angry or upset.
"Don't mention Tom's promotion to Mike. It would be like a
______________________________________-
To ____________________________ means that a person
decides to
act decisively in order to deal with a difficult situation or
Take the bull by the horns problem.
"After a number of children were hurt in the school
playground, Sally took _______________________________
and called the headmaster."
To say that someone has a face like a bulldog chewing a
wasp
means that you find them very unattractive because they
Face like a bulldog chewing a have a
wasp screwed-up ugly expression on their face.
"Not only was he rude but he had a face like a bulldog
chewing a
wasp!
This term refers to a person who has a lot of friends and
acquaintances
A social butterfly and likes to flit from one social event to another.
"Julie is constantly out and about; she's a real
_____________________________
This expression means that if you are too careful and polite,
you
A cat in gloves catches no
may not obtain what you want.
mice
"Negotiate carefully, but remember :
_______________________________________!
This expression means that nobody is so important that an
A cat can look at a king. ordinary
person cannot look at or be curious about them.
To refer to a rich and powerful person as _______________
means that you disapprove of the way they use their money or
A fat cat power.
"The place was full of _______________ on their big
yachts."
This expression refers to the difficulty of coordinating a
situation which
involves people who all want to act independently.
Herding cats
"Organizing an outing for a group of people from different
countries
is like herding cats!
If you _______________________, you reveal a secret,
Let the cat out of the bag
often not intentionally.
A person who is _______________________ is very
nervous or restless.
Like a cat on hot bricks
"The week before the results were published, she was like a
_______________________."
If someone or something moves ______________________,
they move very fast, usually because they are frightened or
Like a scalded cat shocked.
"As soon as he saw the policeman, he ran off like a
___________________________
Like the cat that ate the If, after an achievement or success, a person appears very
 self-satisfied or pleased with themselves, you can say that
they
look like the cat that ate the canary.
canary
"When the boss complimented him on his work, Steve looked

like the cat that ate the canary."

If you compare a person or thing to something the cat
dragged in,
Like something the cat
you think they look dirty, untidy or generally unappealing.
dragged in
"My teenage son often looks like something the cat dragged
in."
If you wait for the cat to jump, or to see which way the cat
jumps,
Wait for the cat to jump you delay taking action until you see how events will turn out.

"Let's wait for the cat to jump before we decide."

This expression refers to someone who considers themselves
to be better than others in a particular area - beauty,
Cat's whiskers competence,
(also: the cat's pyjamas) intelligence, sport, etc.,
"Ever since she got a promotion, she thinks she's the cat's
whiskers!"
Two people who fight or argue like cat and dog frequently
have
Fight/argue like cat and dog violent arguments, even though they are fond of each other.
"They fight like cat and dog but they're still together after 30
years."
This term refers to a life in which partners are constantly or
Cat-and-dog life frequently
(Also: argue/fight like cat and quarrelling.
dog) "They lead a cat-and-dog life. I don't know why they stay
together."
This expression refers to the difficulty of coordinating a
situation which
involves people who all want to act independently.
Like herding cats
"Organizing an outing for a group of people from different
countries is
like herding cats!"
If it's raining cats and dogs, it's raining very heavily.
Raining cats and dogs "We'll have to cancel the picnic I'm afraid. It's raining cats
and dogs."
To play cat and mouse with someone means to treat them
Play cat and mouse alternately cruelly and kindly, so that they do not know what
to expect.
An amount of money considered small or unimportant is
called
Chicken feed chicken feed.
"I got a job during the holidays but the pay was chicken
feed."
If you chicken out of something, you decide not to do
something
because you are afraid.
Chicken out of something
"He decided to join a karate class, but chickened out of it at
the
last minute!"
If a person rushes about like a headless chicken, they act
Like a headless chicken
in a
 disorderly way, without thinking or analyzing the situation
carefully.
"As soon as the store opened, my mother started running
around
like a headless chicken, eager to find bargains."
A product or service which is a regular source of income for
a company
A cash cow
is called a cash cow.
"His latest invention turned out to be a real cash cow."
To say that a person could do something till the cows come
home
Till the cows come home means that they could do it for a long time.
"You can ask till the cows come home, but I'm not buying
you a scooter!"
This expression refers to not paying for something that you
can
obtain for free.
(Sometimes used to refer to a decision not to marry when
Why buy a cow when you can
you can
get milk for free?
have the benefits of marriage without any commitment.)
Rent is high so Bobby is still living with his parents. He says:

Why buy a cow when you can get milk for free?
To shed crocodile tears means to shed false tears or show
insincere
grief.
Crocodile tears
"Caroline pretended to be sad but we all knew her tears were
crocodile
tears."
If you eat crow, you admit that you were wrong about
something and
Eat crow apologize.
"He had no option but to eat crow and admit that his analysis
was wrong."
This expression refers to distance measured in a straight
line.
As the crow flies
"It's two miles from here to the station as the crow flies,
but of course it's much further by road."
To say that something is (as) dead as a dodo means that it
is
Dead as a dodo without doubt dead or obsolete, or has gone out of fashion.
(The dodo is a bird that is now extinct.)
"The floppy disk is an invention that is now (as) dead as a
dodo."
To describe something as a dog's breakfast means that it is

Dog's breakfast a complete mess.

"The new secretary made a dog's breakfast out of the filing
system!"
People use this expression when complaining about a
situation or job
Dog's life
which they find unpleasant or unsatisfactory.
"It's a dog's life working in the after-sales department."
Dog eat dog This expression refers to intense competition and rivalry in
pursuit of
one's own interests, with no concern for morality.
"The business world is tough today. There's a general dog-
eat-dog
 attitude."
A person referred to as a dog in the manger is someone
who
stops others enjoying something he cannot use or doesn't
Dog in the manger want.
"Bob's a real dog in the manger; he's not free to play golf but
he
won't lend his golf clubs to anyone."
A dog and pony show is a marketing event or presentation
Dog and pony show which has
plenty of style but not much content.
To say that someone is as crooked as a dog's hind leg
means
Crooked as a dog's hind leg
that they are very dishonest indeed.
"He can't be trusted - he's as crooked as a dog's hind leg."
This expression means that everyone can be successful at
something
Every dog has its day at some time in their life.
"I didn't win this time, but I'll be lucky one day. Every dog
has its day!"
This expression means that you use as a remedy a small
amount
of what made you ill, for example a drink of alcohol when
Hair of the dog that bit you recovering
from drinking too much.
"Here, have a drop of this. It's a little hair of the dog that
bit you!"
People who lose their reputation have difficulty regaining it
because
Give a dog a bad name
others continue to blame or suspect them.
"Tom was suspected as usual. Give a dog a bad name!"
If you help a lame dog over stile, you help someone who is
in difficulty
Help a lame dog over stile or trouble.
"You can trust him - he always helps a lame dog over a
stile."
If somebody is like a dog with two tails, they are extremely
happy.
Like a dog with two tails.
"When Paul won the first prize, he was like a dog with two
tails."
To describe something as a dog's breakfast means that it is
a complete
A dog's breakfast mess.
"The new secretary made a dog's breakfast out of the filing
system!"
If you do something surprisingly fast, or suddenly, you do it
(as) quick as a dog can lick a
as quick as a dog can lick a dish.
dish
"He packed his bag as quick as a dog can lick a dish."
This expression is used to refer to a situation where there is
a reversal
of roles, with a small or minor element of something having
a controlling
The tail wagging the dog
influence on the most important element.
"If you let your children decide on everything, it will be a case
of the tail
wagging the dog."
Old dog for a hard road This expression means that experience is invaluable when
 one is
faced with a difficult task.
"The case calls for an experienced lawyer, an old dog for a
hard road."
This expression is used to refer to someone you think is
incapable
Small dog, tall weeds
or does not have the resources to perform a task.
"It may be too difficult for the trainee - small dog, tall
weeds!"
This expression means that if someone can do a task for
you,
Why keep a dog and bark there's no reason to do it yourself.
yourself? "The shuttle stops in front of our house but my father
continues to
drive to the airport. Why keep a dog and bark yourself!"
To say that a company, organization or country is going to
the dogs
means that it is becoming less successful or efficient than
Go to the dogs
before.
"Some think the company will go to the dogs if it is
nationalized."
If you tell somebody to let sleeping dogs lie, you are asking
them
not to interfere with a situation because they could cause
Let sleeping dogs lie
problems.
"Look - they've settled their differences. It's time to let
sleeping dogs lie."
This expression means that if someone loves you, they must
love
Love me, love my dog everything about you, including everyone and everything that
you
love.
When a person says that their dogs are barking they mean
My dogs are barking that
their feet are hurting.
"I've been shopping all day. My dogs are barking."
This expression is used to describe the unpleasant, boring
parts of
Donkey work
a job.
"I do the donkey work - my boss gets the credit!"
This expression is used to describe a very talkative person.
Talk the hind leg off a donkey "It's difficult to end a conversation with Betty.
She could talk the hind leg off a donkey!"
If you take to something like a duck to water, you do it
naturally
Take to something like a duck
and easily, without fear or hesitation.
to water
"When Sophie first tried skiing, she took to it like a duck to
water"
This expression refers to a project or scheme which has
been abandoned
or is certain to fail.
A dead duck
"The new cinema is going to be a dead duck because it's
too far away from
the town centre."
A lame duck A person or organization that is in difficulty and unable to
manage
without help is called a lame duck.
 "Some banks have become lame ducks recently."
A sitting duck is an easy target, a person who is easy to
A sitting duck deceive.
"The young girl was a sitting duck for the photographer."
This expression means that you are trying to get things well
organized.
Get your ducks in a row
"We need to get our ducks in a row if we want our project
to
succeed."

To say that something, such as criticism or advice, is like

water
off a duck's back means that it has no effect at all.
Like water off a duck's back
"He's warned of the dangers of smoking but it's like water off
a
duck's back."
Someone who has eagle eyes sees or notices things more
easily
Eagle eyes
than others.
"Tony will help us find it - he's got eagle eyes!"
A problem that no one wants to discuss, but is so obvious
that it
Elephant in the room cannot be ignored, is called an elephant in the room.
"Let's face it - his work is unsatisfactory.
That's the elephant in the room that we need to discuss."
If you fish in troubled waters, you try to gain advantages
for yourself
from a disturbed state of affairs.
Fish in troubled waters
"Between the declaration of independence and the first
elections,
some people were accused of fishing in troubled waters."
If you feel like a fish out of water , you feel uncomfortable
because of an unfamiliar situation or unfamiliar surroundings.
Fish out of water
"As a non-golfer, I felt like a fish out of water at the
clubhouse."
This term is used to refer to an important or highly-ranked
person in a
small group or organization.
Big fish in a small pond
"He could get a job with a big company but he enjoys being a
big fish
in a small pond."
To describe a person, thing or situation as a different kettle
of fish
means that it is completely different from what was
A different kettle of fish previously mentioned.
"You may have good business relations, but living in the
country is a
different kettle of fish."
A person who drinks like a fish is a heavy drinker or one
who drinks
Drink like a fish a lot.
"I'm nervous if Joe drives when we go out because he drinks
like a fish!"
A person who has other fish to fry, has more important
things to do.
Have other fish to fry
"I don't think he'll attend the office party; he's got other fish to
fry."
 To say this means that that there are many other people just
as good
There are (plenty of) other fish as the one somebody failed to get.
in the sea "The candidate we chose refused the job? Never mind -
there are other
fish in the sea!
This is said to describe people or things that are difficult to
classify,
Neither fish nor fowl that are neither one thing nor another.
Interns are neither fish nor fowl.
They are neither students nor fully qualified practitioners.
If something sounds or smells fishy, you are suspicious
about it.
Sounds or smells fishy
"Do you believe what she said? Her story sounds fishy to
me."
If someone is (as) happy as a flea in a doghouse, they are
very
Happy as a flea in a happy and contented.
doghouse "Since she moved to a smaller apartment, my mother is (as)
happy
as a flea in a doghouse."
After an attempt at something, if you are sent away with a
flea in
your ear, you are angrily reprimanded or humiliated.
Flea in one's ear
"When he tried to put the blame on Pete, he was sent away
with
a flea in his ear."
If people drop like flies, they fall ill or die in large numbers.
"There's an epidemic of flu at the moment. Senior citizens
Drop like flies
are
dropping like flies."
The expression a fly in the ointment refers to someone or
something
that prevents a situation from being completely satisfactory.
Fly in the ointment
"Tony's poor English was a fly in the ointment when he
applied for
the job."
This expression is used to describe a person who watches a
situation
without being noticed.
Fly on the wall
"I'd like to be a fly on the wall when the management
discusses my
project."
A person who is juggling frogs is trying to deal with many
different
Juggle frogs tasks at the same time and finding the situation difficult.
"I've got so many things to do at the moment, I feel like I'm
juggling frogs."
A person who has a frog in their throat has difficulty in
speaking
Have a frog in one's throat clearly, because they have a cough or a sore throat.
"Teaching was difficult today. I had a frog in my throat all
morning."
All his geese are swans This expression refers to someone who constantly
exaggerates the
importance of somebody or something.
"Don't let him impress you. He always exaggerates; all his
 geese
are swans!"
To cook somebody's goose means to spoil that person's
chance of
success.
Cook somebody's goose
"When the burglar saw the police car arriving, he realized his
goose was
cooked."
If you have goose pimples, you are so cold or so afraid that

Have goose pimples your skin is temporarily raised into little lumps.
"I was so scared that I had goose pimples all through the
film!"
If you say that you were sent on a wild goose chase, you
mean
that you wasted a lot of time looking for something that there
A wild goose chase : was
little chance of finding.
"They tried to find out who sent the anonymous complaint,
but it turned out to be a wild goose chase."
This term refers to a very young and small child
Knee-high to a grasshopper "Look how tall you are! Last time I saw you,
you were knee-high to a grasshopper!
People who are used as guinea pigs are people on whom
Guinea pig
new methods, treatment or ideas are tested.
This expression refers to someone who wants to stay on
friendly
terms with both sides in a quarrel
Run with the hare and "Bob always wants to keep everyone happy, but I'm afraid he
hunt with the hounds can't
run with the hare and hunt with the hounds this time - the
issue
is too important.
If you've got eyes like a hawk, you've got good eyesight and
notice
every detail.
Eyes like a hawk
"Of course Dad will notice the scratch on his car - he's got
eyes like
a hawk! "
If you watch someone like a hawk, you keep your eyes on
them
Watch someone like a hawk
or watch them very carefully.
"Sarah watches the children like a hawk when she takes them
swimming."
When you go the whole hog, you do something thoroughly
or
completely.
Go the whole hog
"They put up a few decorations for Christmas, then they
decided
to go the whole hog and buy a tree and all the trimmings."
Someone who lives high off the hog has a lot of money
and a very
Live high off the hog
comfortable lifestyle.
"Now he's wealthy and living high off the hog."
Stir up a hornet's nest If you stir up a hornet's nest, you do something which
causes a
commotion and provokes criticism and anger.
 "His letter to the Board stirred up a real hornet's nest."
To describe a person or a problem as a horse of a different
colour
means either that the person does things differently from
others or
Horse of a different colour
that the nature of the problem is a entirely different.
"I expected to negotiate with the sales manager but the
chairman
turned up - now he's a horse of a different colour!"
If you back or bet on the wrong horse, for example the
loser in a
Back or bet on the wrong contest, match or election, you support the wrong person.
horse "When I voted for him, I was convinced he would win, but I
backed
the wrong horse!"
To say that someone is beating a dead horse means that
they
are wasting time and effort trying to do or achieve something
that is
Beat (or flog) a dead horse
not possible.
"Mark is beating a dead horse trying to get his money
reimbursed.
The company has gone bankrupt!"
If you get on your high horse, you start behaving in a
haughty manner,
as though you should be treated with more respect.
Get on your high horse
"He got on his high horse when he was asked to show his
membership
card."
If you refer to a person as a "dark horse", you mean that
A dark horse they
are secretive, or that little is known about them.
If you tell someone to hold their horses, you think they are
doing
something too fast and should slow down and not rush into
Hold your horses
further action.
"Hold your horses! Don't rush into this without giving it
careful thought."
To say that you could eat a horse means that you are very
hungry.
I could eat a horse!
"Let's get something to eat. I'm starving. I could eat a
horse!"
A place referred to as a one-horse town is a small, boring
town
where nothing much ever happens.
One-horse town
"I wish my grandparents didn't live in that one-horse town.
It's such
a boring place!"
To say you're going to have kittens is a dramatic way of
expressing
worry, anxiety or fear.
Have kittens
"His mother nearly had kittens when Alex announced that he
wanted
to be a trapeze artist."
Lion's share The lion's share of something is the largest portion, or the
best part.
"He left very little money to his children; the lion's share was
 donated
to charity."
If you visit someone important in the place where they work,
in order to
challenge him/her or obtain something, you beard the lion
Beard the lion in his den
in his den.
"If he continues to refuse my calls, I'll have to beard him in his
den."
If you walk into the lion's den, you find yourself in a difficult
Walk into the lion's den situation
in which you have to face unfriendly or aggressive people.
An activity which is organized in a deceitful or dishonest way
is
called monkey business.
Monkey business
"The results announced seem suspicious - I think there's
some
monkey business going on!"
If something is very amusing or enjoyable, you can say it is
More fun than a barrel of
more fun than a barrel of monkeys.
monkeys
"The TV quiz was more fun than a barrel of monkeys."
If you humiliate someone by making them appear ridiculous
Make a monkey (out) of
or foolish, you make a monkey of that person.
someone
"That's enough teasing. Don't make a monkey out of him!"
To say that a person is attracted to someone or something
like a moth
Like a moth to a flame to a flame means that the attraction is so strong they cannot
resist.
"He's drawn to the casino like a moth to a flame."
This term refers to a person who spends a lot of time in front
of the
computer.
Mouse potato
"My son and his friends are all mouse potatoes - constantly
glued to
the computer!"
When someone is as quiet as a mouse, they make no noise
at all.
(as) quiet as a mouse
"The burglar was as quiet as a mouse as he moved around
the house."
If someone is as stubborn as a mule, they are very
obstinate and
unwilling to listen to reason or change their mind.
As stubborn as a mule
"His friends advised him to accept the offer, but you know
Jack -
he's as stubborn as a mule!"
This expression refers to a middle-aged or older woman
trying to look
younger than her age by dressing in clothes designed for
younger
Mutton dressed as lamb
people.
"The style doesn't suit her at all - it has a 'mutton dressed
as lamb'
effect.
Ostrich strategy/politics This term refers to the phenomenon of ignoring or evading
an obvious
problem in the hope that it will resolve itself or disappear.
"Adopting an ostrich strategy will only make matters worse
- we've got
 to find a solution!"
This expression means that you are free and able to enjoy
the pleasures
The world is your oyster
and opportunities that life has to offer.
"She left college feeling that the world was her oyster."
A person who is as proud as a peacock is extremely proud.
Proud as a peacock "When his son won first prize, Bill was as proud as a
peacock."
This expression means that trying to 'dress up' something
unappealing
or ugly, in a vain attempt to make it look better, is like putting
lipstick
(like putting) lipstick on a pig
on a pig.
"Flowers will not not improve that ugly old bridge; every one
agrees that
it's lipstick on a pig."
If you make a pig of yourself, you eat and drink too much.
Make a pig of yourself
"Watch what you eat - don't make a pig of yourself!"
To say "...and pigs might fly expresses disbelief, or the idea
that
Pigs might fly
miracles might happen but are extremely unlikely.
(also: when pigs have wings)
"My grandmother buying a computer? ... Yeah, and pigs
might fly!"
If you go somewhere on Shank's pony, you have to walk
rather than
travel by bus, car, etc.
Shank's pony
"It was impossible to find a taxi after the party so it was
Shank's pony
for us!"
To say "I smell a rat" means that you suspect that
something is
Smell a rat
wrong, or that someone is doing something dishonest or
incorrect.
If a group of people are packed like sardines, they are
pressed
Packed like sardines together tightly and uncomfortably because there is not
enough space.
"The bus was very crowded - we were packed like sardines!"
A loan shark is an unauthorised person who lends money at
extremely high interest rates to people who are unable to
obtain
Loan shark a loan from the bank.
"The young immigrant was beaten because he was late
paying
back money to a loan shark."
The black sheep of the family is one who is very different
from the
Black sheep
others, and least respected by the other members of the
family,
This term refers to the standard system of mail delivery, or
postal service,
considered very slow compared to electronic mail.
Snail mail
"More and more people are using e-mail rather than
traditional delivery
services, snail mail.
A snake in the grass This expression refers to someone who pretends to be your
 friend
while actually betraying you.
"I thought I could trust my new colleague but he turned out to
be
a snake in the grass."
This term means to immediately and completely stop an
addictive
substance, a regular activity or a behavioural pattern, instead
of
Cold turkey
ending it gradually.
"When Dave decided to stop smoking, he did it cold turkey
on
January 1st."
This expression is used to say that a particular option is
unlikely
to be chosen because it would not be in the interest of the
Like turkeys voting for people
Christmas concerned.
(In many countries people eat turkey at Christmas.)
"Expecting them to accept a decrease in salary would be
like turkeys voting for Christmas!"
To say that someone has a face like a bulldog chewing a
wasp
means that you find them very unattractive because they
Face like a bulldog chewing a have a
wasp screwed-up ugly expression on their face.
"Not only was he rude but he had a face like a bulldog
chewing a
wasp!
When people have a whale of a time, they enjoy
themselves
Have a whale of a time
very much.
"We had a whale of a time at the party last night."
Expression used (especially in computing) to refer to
Like kicking dead whales
a particularly slow and difficult process.
down
"Getting him to adopt the new method is
the beach.
like kicking dead whales down the beach."
To describe someone as a wolf in sheep's clothing means
that
A wolf in sheep's clothing although the person looks harmless, they are really very
dangerous.
"He looks kind but in fact he's a wolf in sheep's clothing."
To cry wolf is to call for help when you are not really in
danger.
As a result, nobody believes you when you really need help.
Cry wolf
"There's Mary screaming again! Does she really have a
problem or
is she just crying wolf again?"
In order to keep the wolf from the door, you need to have
enough
Keep the wolf from the
money to buy food and other essentials.
door
"My grandparents earned barely enough to keep the wolf
from the door."
Worm one's way into/out of If a person worms their way into or out of something, they
something use
artful or devious means in order to participate or avoid
participating in
something.
 "You're not going to worm yourself out of this. You must do
your share!"
To offer a worm's-eye view of a situation is to give your
opinion
based on what you see at close range from an inferior
Worm's-eye view position,
so it is therefore not a general view.
"I'm not sure I can be of much help. I can only offer you a
worm's-eye view of the situation.