Animal idioms
Animal idioms beg with d to z
Animal idioms beginning with D
a
dark horse
-
a candidate who is little known to the general public
The
candidate for mayor was a dark horse until he gave some good speeches on
TV.
dog
and pony show
-
something that you disapprove of because you think that it has only been
organized to impress you (like a dog and pony show in a circus)
We
had serious questions about the project but we only got a dog and pony show
when we questioned our business partners.
dog-eat-dog
-
ready or willing to fight and hurt others to get what one wants
It
is a dog-eat-dog world in our company.
dog
in the manger
-
someone who prevents others from doing what they themselves do not want to do
(in Aesop's Fables a dog that cannot eat hay lays in the hayrack and prevents
the other animals from eating the hay)
My
friend always acts like a dog in the manger and often tries to prevent us from
enjoying ourselves.
donkey's
years
-
a very long time
I
was happy to see my friend because I had not seen her in donkey's years.
a
dumb bunny
-
a stupid or gullible person
"He
really is a dumb bunny. He does such stupid things."
Animal idioms beginning with E
eager beaver- a person who is always eager to work or do something extra
The woman is an eager beaver and will do very well in this company.
eat high on/off the hog
- to eat good or expensive food
We were eating high off the hog during our ocean cruise.
eat like a horse
- to eat a lot
My brother eats like a horse.
every dog has his day
- everyone will have his chance or turn, everyone will get what he deserves
"Don`t worry about him. Every dog has his day and he will eventually suffer for all the bad things that he is doing."
Animal idioms beginning with F
ferret (information or something) out of (someone)- to get something from someone by being persistent
I worked hard to ferret the location of the party out of my friend.
fight like cats and dogs
- to argue and fight with someone (usually used for people who know each other)
The two children were fighting like cats and dogs when we entered the room.
flog a dead horse
- to continue fighting a battle that has been won, to continue to argue a point that has been settled
My friend was flogging a dead horse when she would not stop arguing about the mistake on her paycheck.
a fraidy-cat
- someone who is easily frightened (usually used by children)
The little boy called his friend a fraidy-cat because his friend would not climb the tree.
Animal idioms beginning with G
get (someone`s) goat- to annoy someone
My friend is always complaining about the way that I do things which gets my goat.
get off one`s high horse
- to begin to be humble and agreeable
I wish that my supervisor would get off her high horse and begin to think about how other people feel about things.
get on one`s high horse
- to behave with arrogance
My friend is always getting on her high horse and telling people what to do.
go ape (over someone or something)
- to become highly excited or angry about someone or something
Our teacher will go ape if you do not finish the work that was due today.
go hog-wild
- to behave wildly
The soccer fans went hog-wild when they arrived in the city for the game.
go to the dogs
- to deteriorate, to become bad
Many things in our city have gone to the dogs during the last ten years.
go whole hog
- to do everything possible, to be extravagant
We went whole hog in our effort to make the convention a success.
grin like a Cheshire cat
- to grin or smile broadly
The little boy was grinning like a Cheshire cat when he entered the room.
the hair of the dog that bit one
- a drink of alcohol that one takes when recovering from a hangover
The man had the hair of the dog that bit him before he ate breakfast.
Animal idioms beginning with H
have a cow- to become very angry and upset about something
Our teacher had a cow when nobody prepared for the class.
have a tiger by the tail
- to have a task or situation that you are not prepared for or which is a bigger challenge that you expected
The politician had a tiger by the tail as he tried to manage the large problem.
have a whale of a time
- to have an exciting and interesting time
We had a whale of a time at the party last night.
have bats in one's belfry
- to be a little bit crazy
I think that our neighbor has bats in her belfry.
hit the bulls-eye
- to reach or focus on the main point of something
Our manager hit the bulls-eye when he talked about the problems in the company.
hold one`s horses
- to wait, to be patient
"Hold your horses for a moment while I make a phone call."
Holy cow
- used to express strong feelings of astonishment or pleasure or anger
"Holy cow," the man said when he saw the car that hit the street lamp.
hoof it
- to walk or run (a hoof is the foot of a horse or sheep or cow etc.)
I decided to hoof it when I came downtown this morning.
horse around
- to play around (in a rough way)
The teacher told the children not to horse around while they were getting ready for class.
a horse of a different color
- another matter entirely, something else, something different than the subject that is being discussed
Changing locations is a horse of a different color and was never discussed in the meeting.
horse sense
- common sense, practical thinking
The boy does not have any horse sense and often makes the wrong decision.
horse trade
- to bargain in a hard and skillful way
We had to do some horse trading but finally we were able to buy the new house.
to hound (someone)
- to pursue or chase someone, to harass someone
The manager is always hounding the younger members of her staff to make them work hard.
Animal idioms beginning with I
in a pig`s eye- unlikely, not so, never
Never in a pig`s eye will my friend be able to save enough money to go to Mexico for the winter.
in the doghouse
- in disgrace or disfavor, in trouble
The man is in the doghouse with his wife because he came home late last night.
in two shakes of a lamb's tail
- very quickly
I promised that I would meet my friend in two shakes of a lamb's tail.
Animal idioms beginning with K
kangaroo court- an illegal court formed by a group of people to settle a dispute among themselves
The military court in the small country was a kangaroo court that permitted the military to do whatever they wanted.
keep the wolf from the door
- to maintain oneself at the most basic level
My friend's part-time job is enough for him to keep the wolf from the door.
keep the wolves at bay
- to fight against some kind of trouble
Many people are angry about the new tax. The government has to work hard to keep the wolves at bay.
kill the fatted calf
- to prepare an elaborate banquet for someone
We will kill the fatted calf and have a big feast for my parents.
Animal idioms beginning with L
lead a dog`s life- to lead a miserable life
The man is leading a dog`s life since he married the woman who everyone told him not to marry.
a leopard can't change its spots
- you cannot change someone's basic human nature or bad qualities
The manager wrote a letter of apology to the customer but a leopard can't change its spots. The manager has not changed and the letter does not mean anything.
let sleeping dogs lie
- do not make trouble if you do not have to
You should let sleeping dogs lie and not ask our boss about the dispute.
let the cat out of the bag
- to tell something that is supposed to be a secret
The teacher let the cat out of the bag when she began talking about the plans to close the school.
like a bat out of hell
- with great speed and force
I ran like a bat out of hell to catch the bus.
like a deer caught in the headlights
- like someone who is very confused and does not know what to do
The boy looked like a deer caught in the headlights when we discovered him in the locked room.
like lambs to the slaughter
- quietly and without complaining about the dangers that may lie ahead
Our football team went like lambs to the slaughter to play against the best football team in the country.
lion's share of (something)
- the larger part or share of something
We found the lion's share of the lost tickets but some are still missing.
a live dog is better than a dead lion
- it is better to be a live coward than a dead hero (this is from Ecclesiastes in the Bible)
A live dog is better than a dead lion and I told my friend not to get into a fight with the angry man in the restaurant.
live high on/off the hog
- to have the best of everything
My friend has been living high on the hog since he changed jobs.
loaded for bear
- very angry
The man was loaded for bear when he went in to see the supervisor.
lock horns with (someone)
- to get into an argument with someone
I locked horns with my neighbor yesterday morning.
lock the barn door after the horse is gone
- to try to deal with something after it is too late
My friend wants to fix his house. However, it is like locking the barn door after the horse is gone. There was a flood and the damage is already done.
a lone wolf
- someone who prefers to spend time alone and has few friends
The boy was a lone wolf and spent most of his time alone.
look a gift horse in the mouth
- to complain if a gift is not perfect
The girl should not look a gift horse in the mouth. She should be happy that she received a present from her friends.
look like something the cat dragged in
- to look tired or worn out or dirty
I was very tired and I looked like something the cat dragged in.
look like the cat that swallowed/ate the canary
- to look smug and self-satisfied, to look as if you have just had a great success
"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary. What happened?"
Animal idioms beginning with M
make a monkey out of (someone)- to make someone look foolish
My friend made a monkey out of me when he started arguing with me in front of my boss.
make a mountain out of a molehill
- to make something that is unimportant seem important
You are making a mountain out of a molehill when you talk about the mistake.
make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
- to create something of value from something of no value
You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. There is no point in trying to teach that woman manners.
monkey around with (someone or something)
- to play with or waste time with someone or something
The boy spent the morning monkeying around with the old radio.
monkey business
- unethical or illegal activity, mischief
The boy should stop the monkey business and do the job correctly.
a monkey on one's back
- a serious problem that stops someone from being successful at something
Seven games without scoring a goal was a monkey on the back of the famous soccer player.
monkey see, monkey do
- someone copies something that someone else does
It is monkey see, monkey do for the boy. He copies everything that his friend does.
more fun than a barrel of monkeys
- very funny, fun
The children love their teacher because he is more fun than a barrel of monkeys.
Animal idioms beginning with N
nest egg moneysave money for the future
We have a nest egg that we might have to use if Jim goes on sick leave.
not enough room to swing a cat
- not very much space
There was not enough room to swing a cat in the small apartment.
Animal idioms beginning with O
on horseback- on the back of a horse
We rode to the river on horseback.
Animal idioms beginning with P
a paper tiger- a person or organization that is supposed to have a lot of power but is actually very weak
The manager was a paper tiger and did not have any power in the company.
piggy bank
- a small bank (sometimes in the shape of a pig) for saving money
The boy has been putting money into his piggy bank to save for a bicycle.
piggyback
- sitting or being carried on someone`s back and shoulders
The boy was riding piggyback on his father`s shoulders.
play cat and mouse with (someone)
- to tease or fool someone, to change between different types of behavior when dealing with someone
The man is playing cat and mouse with his company about his plans to quit or not.
play possum
- to pretend to be inactive or asleep or dead
I think that the man is playing possum and is not really sleeping.
put on the dog
- to dress or entertain in a luxurious and extravagant manner
We put on the dog for my parents when they came to visit us.
put one's head in the lion's mouth
- to put oneself in a dangerous or difficult situation
I put my head in the lion's mouth when I went to the meeting with my boss.
put (someone or something) out to pasture
- to retire someone or something (just as you would put a horse that is too old to work out to pasture)
We finally decided to put our old car out to pasture and buy a new one.
put the cart before the horse
- to do things in the wrong order
Buying a ticket before we make our holiday plans is putting the cart before the horse.
put the cat among the pigeons
- to cause trouble
Sending the unpopular supervisor to talk to the angry workers was like putting the cat among the pigeons.
Animal idioms beginning with R
rain cats and dogs- to rain very hard
It has been raining cats and dogs all day.
rat on (someone)
- to report someone's bad behavior to someone
The little boy ratted on his friend at school.
rat out on (someone)
- to desert or betray someone
The boy ratted out on his friends. Now they won`t talk to him.
rat race
- a rushed and confusing way of living that does not seem to have a purpose
My uncle is tired of being in the rat race every day. He plans to quit his job soon and do something else.
ride herd on (someone)
- to watch closely and strictly supervise someone (as a cowboy would supervise a herd of cattle)
The manager has been riding herd on his employees so that they can finish the job quickly.
a road hog
- a car driver who uses more than his share of the road
The person in front of me on the highway was a road hog but I tried not to get angry.
rub (someone/someone's fur) the wrong way
- to irritate someone (just as you would irritate a dog or cat if you rub their fur the wrong way)
The woman who I work with always rubs me the wrong way.
Animal idioms beginning with S
a sacred cow- a person or thing that is never criticized or changed even if it should be (from a cow which is sacred in India)
The school lunch program is a sacred cow which they do not want to change.
a scaredy-cat
- someone who is easily frightened (usually used by children)
The children called their friend a scaredy-cat because she would not enter the empty house.
see a man about a dog
- to leave for some unmentioned purpose (often to go to the washroom)
I left our table in the restaurant to go and see a man about a dog.
separate the sheep from the goats
- to divide people into two groups
We had to separate the sheep from the goats when we began to make selections for the school choir.
serve as a guinea pig
- to allow some kind of test to be performed on someone
I was not happy that I had to serve as a guinea pig for the new training material.
a shaggy dog story
- a long and often pointless story that is told as a joke and often ends in a very silly or unexpected way
My friend told me a shaggy dog story about how he lost his bicycle.
smell a rat
- to be suspicious of someone or something, to feel that something is wrong
I smell a rat. There is something wrong with the free credit card offer.
squirrel away (something) or squirrel (something) away
- to hide or store something
My niece likes to squirrel away as much money as possible from her part-time job.
straight from the horse`s mouth
- directly from the person who said something, directly from a dependable source
I heard it straight from the horse`s mouth that our supervisor will be leaving the company next week.
Animal idioms beginning with T
the straw that broke the camel`s back- a small final trouble or problem which follows other troubles and causes everything to collapse or something to happen
The mistake on the bill was the straw that broke the camel`s back. We finally fired the new accounting clerk.
one's tail between one`s legs
- feeling beaten or humiliated (like a frightened or defeated dog as it walks away)
The manager left the meeting with his tail between his legs after he was criticized by the company president.
the tail wagging the dog
- a situation where a small part controls the whole thing
The tail is wagging the dog. The receptionist controls everything in the office.
take the bull by the horns
- to take decisive and direct action
My aunt decided to take the bull by the horns and begin preparations for the family reunion.
there is more than one way to skin a cat
- there is more than one way to do something
I knew that there was more than one way to skin a cat so I did not worry about the rules and time limit of my project.
throw (someone) to the lions
- to permit someone to be blamed or criticized for something without trying to help or protect him or her
The company threw the manager to the lions and made him take responsibility for the problem.
throw (someone) to the wolves
- to send someone into danger without protection, to sacrifice someone
The salesman decided to throw his coworker to the wolves when he asked him to meet the angry customer.
top dog
- the most important person in an organization
My uncle is the top dog in his company.
turn tail
- to run away from trouble or danger
We decided to turn tail and leave the restaurant before there was an argument.
Animal idioms beginning with U
until the cows come home- until very late, for a long time
We can talk until the cows come home this evening.
Animal idioms beginning with W
weasel out of (something)- to not have to do something (like a weasel which can move through small openings)
My friend was able to weasel out of going to the store for his mother.
when the cat's away, the mice will play
- when you are not watching someone they may get into trouble, when a person with authority is absent then those below him or her can do whatever they want
When the cat's away, the mice will play and when the teacher left the classroom the students began to play.
a white elephant
- something that is not useful and costs a lot of money to maintain
The airport is a white elephant and nobody liked to use it.
wild horses could not drag (someone away)
- there is nothing that will force someone to go somewhere or do something
Wild horses could not drag me away from my favorite TV show last night.
a wildcat strike
- a strike spontaneously arranged by a group of workers
There was a wildcat strike at the factory and the workers stopped work.
wolf down (something)
- to gulp down something, to eat something quickly
I wolfed down my dinner and left the house for the movie.
a wolf in sheep`s clothing
- a person who pretends to be good but really is bad
"Be careful of that man. He is a wolf in sheep`s clothing."
work like a dog
- to work very hard
The boy worked like a dog on his school project.
work like a horse
- to work very hard
My grandfather worked like a horse when he was a young man.
Animal idioms beginning with Y
you can lead a horse to water (but you can't make it drink)- you can give someone the opportunity to do something but you cannot force him or her to do it if they do not want to
You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink and no matter how hard we try to help my cousin get a job he will not make any effort to find one.
you can't teach an old dog new tricks
- it is difficult for older people to learn new things
You can't teach an old dog new tricks and I do not think that my father will ever change his eating habits.
