Idioms about animals
Ants in one’s pants
Feeling restless or unable to sit still.
Sarah had ants in her pants while waiting for the exam results.
Red herring
Something that distracts attention from the real issue.
The argument about the car was a red herring from the real problem.
The birds and the bees
The basic facts about sex and reproduction.
It's time to have "the talk" with your children about the birds and the bees.
White elephant
Something that is expensive to maintain or difficult to dispose of.
The old mansion became a white elephant for the family.
Cat nap
A short sleep or nap.
I usually take a cat nap after lunch to recharge.
As happy as a clam
Extremely happy or content.
After receiving the good news, Sarah was as happy as a clam.
Fishy
Seeming suspicious or deceitful.
The whole situation seemed fishy to me.
One-trick pony
Someone that has only one skill, ability, or feature, and lacks versatility or depth.
He became known as a one-trick pony in the kitchen, always relying on the same recipe for his signature dish.
A different kettle of fish
A completely different thing, topic or subject.
Managing a small team is one thing, but managing a large department is a different kettle of fish.
A horse of a different color
A completely different thing, topic or subject.
I thought we were talking about finances, but now you're discussing marketing strategies – that's a horse of a different color.
A guinea pig
Someone who participates in an experiment or test.
The new medication was tested on guinea pigs before being released to the public.
Weasel out
To avoid doing something by using deceitful or evasive methods.
He tried to weasel out of taking responsibility for his mistake.
Wouldn’t hurt a fly
Harmless or nonviolent.
He's such a gentle person, he wouldn't hurt a fly.
Mad as a hornet
Very angry or furious.
She was mad as a hornet when she found out about the broken vase.
Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle!
Used to express complete surprise, amazement or disbelief.
Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle, I didn't expect to see you here!
A cock-and-bull story
An exaggerated or falsified story or explanation.
He came up with a cock-and-bull story to explain why he was late.
Barking up the wrong tree
Looking in the wrong place or pursuing the wrong course of action.
I think you're barking up the wrong tree if you think she's the one who took your book.
Cat got your tongue
A question asked when someone is silent or unable to speak.
Cat got your tongue? Why aren't you saying anything?
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
It's better to have something that is certain than to take a risk for more, where you might lose everything.
I'm not going to quit my job for a new one until it's confirmed. After all, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
A bull in a china shop
A clumsy or reckless person who causes damage.
He's like a bull in a china shop whenever he's in the kitchen.
Crocodile Tears
Fake or insincere tears or sorrow.
She shed crocodile tears when she heard about the accident, but we all knew she didn't care.
A pig in a poke
Something that is bought or accepted without knowing its true nature or value.
Buying a used car online can be risky; you might end up with a pig in a poke.
A wolf in sheep’s clothing
Someone who appears harmless but is actually dangerous or deceitful.
Be careful with him; he's a wolf in sheep's clothing.
There’s more than one way to skin a cat
There are many ways to achieve the same goal.
You can try different methods to solve the problem; after all, there's more than one way to skin a cat.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
Don't make plans based on something that hasn't happened yet.
I know you're excited about the job interview, but don't count your chickens before they hatch.
Kill two birds with one stone
To accomplish two objectives with a single action.
He dropped his kids to school while going to work, killing two birds with one stone.
Like a fish out of water
Feeling uncomfortable or out of place in a particular situation.
At the party, she felt like a fish out of water among all the strangers.
Hold your horses
Wait or be patient.
Hold your horses! Let's think this through before making a decision.
Let sleeping dogs lie
Avoid stirring up old conflicts or issues.
I know you're upset with your coworker, but sometimes it's best to let sleeping dogs lie.
Let the cat out of the bag
Reveal a secret or disclose confidential information.
I wasn't supposed to tell you, but I accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
Beat a dead horse
To waste time, effort, and energy on a futile endeavor.
Trying to convince your friend to lend you money after he's already said no is like beating a dead horse.
Wild goose chase
A futile pursuit or fruitless search for something unattainable or non-existent.
Searching for his lost keys in the park turned out to be a wild goose chase; they were in his pocket all along.
When pigs fly
Used to express that something will never happen or is highly unlikely to occur.
He said he'll clean his room when pigs fly, meaning it'll probably never happen.
800-pound gorilla
A powerful or influential force that commands attention or dominates a situation.
In the technology industry, Google is the 800-pound gorilla with its dominance in search.
Busy bee
Someone who is industrious or constantly busy with activities.
My grandmother is always knitting, sewing, or gardening; she's a real busy bee.
Open a can of worms
To create a situation that is complicated, difficult, or problematic.
Bringing up politics at family gatherings always opens a can of worms.
Raining cats and dogs
To rain very heavily and intensely.
We had to cancel our picnic because it started raining cats and dogs.
Clam up
To become silent or refuse to speak.
Whenever I ask him about his job, he always clams up.
Cold turkey
To abruptly stop or quit something, especially a habit or addiction.
He quit smoking cold turkey and hasn't had a cigarette in six months.
Dog days
A period of very hot and humid weather, often occurring in the summer.
During the dog days, it's best to stay indoors and keep cool.
Fish in the sea
Plenty of other options or opportunities available.
He's not the only fish in the sea; you'll find someone else.
Don't worry too much about that interview; if it doesn't work out, there are many other fish in the sea.
Have a cow
To become very upset, angry, or agitated.
My mom will have a cow if she finds out I lost my keys again.
Lion's share
The largest or most significant portion of something.
He took the lion's share of the credit for the group project, even though he didn't do most of the work.
Monkey around
To engage in frivolous, aimless, or mischievous behavior.
Stop monkeying around and get back to work!
Pig out
To eat excessively or gluttonously.
After the diet, she pigged out on pizza and ice cream.
Scaredy-cat
Someone who is easily frightened or timid.
Don't be such a scaredy-cat; it's just a spider!
Sitting duck
Someone or something that is vulnerable or easy to attack or take advantage of.
Without air support, our troops are just sitting ducks for enemy artillery.
The cat's meow
Used to describe something or someone as excellent, outstanding, or highly desirable.
Her new car is the cat's meow among her friends.
His performance in the play was outstanding; he truly was the cat's meow on stage.
The world is someone's oyster
One has the freedom and opportunity to do whatever they want.
Now that you've graduated, the world is your oyster; go out and make your dreams come true.
The straw that broke the camel's back
The final or last problem or issue that leads someone to lose their temper or patience after enduring a series of minor annoyances or stresses.
The argument over dirty dishes was just the straw that broke the camel's back; we've been having problems for months.
Go down a rabbit hole
To embark on a journey or delve deeply into a topic, idea, or situation that is complex, confusing, or surreal.
When I started researching my family history, I had no idea I'd go down a rabbit hole of so many mysteries and secrets.
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth
When you receive a gift or favor from someone, you shouldn't be overly critical or question its value.
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth; just accept the present graciously.
Chicken out
To back out or withdraw from a situation due to fear or lack of courage.
I wanted to go skydiving, but I chickened out at the last minute.
Take the bull by the horns
To confront a difficult situation or problem directly and assertively.
She decided to take the bull by the horns and confront her boss about the unfair treatment.
The bee's knees
Something or someone excellent, outstanding, or of very high quality.
That new restaurant is the bee's knees; we should definitely go there for dinner.
A little bird told me
Used to indicate that the speaker knows something but is not revealing the source of the information.
A little bird told me that you're planning a surprise party for me!
Put the cat among the pigeons
To create a disturbance or stir up trouble.
Her decision to resign put the cat among the pigeons at the office.
Butterflies in my stomach
A feeling of nervousness or anxiety, especially before a significant event.
I always get butterflies in my stomach before giving a presentation.
Dog eat dog
Used to refer to a situation of fierce competition in which people are willing to harm each other in order to succeed.
The world of business can be dog eat dog, with everyone trying to get ahead at the expense of others.
All bark and no bite
Someone who talks tough or makes threats but does not follow through with action.
He's all bark and no bite; he won't actually do anything about the problem.
Kitty corner
Diagonally opposite or across from a particular location.
The café is kitty corner from the library.
Copy cat
Someone who imitates or mimics another person, often without originality.
She's such a copy cat; she always wears the same clothes as her friend.
Eager beaver
Someone who is enthusiastic and eager to work or participate.
He's always the first to volunteer for projects; he's such an eager beaver.
Holy cow!
An exclamation of surprise or astonishment.
Holy cow! I can't believe how much traffic there is today!
Horse around
To engage in playful or silly behavior.
If you're going to horse around, please do it outside, kids.
In the dog house
In trouble or in a bad situation because someone is angry or upset with you.
After forgetting her anniversary, he spent the night in the dog house.
Make a beeline
To go directly and quickly towards something or someone.
As soon as the doorbell rang, the kids made a beeline for the presents.
Monkey see, monkey do
To imitate or mimic the actions of others without understanding why.
Children often learn by monkey see, monkey do and imitate the behaviors of adults.
Nest egg
Savings or investment set aside for the future or for retirement.
He's been building his nest egg for years so he can retire early.
Rat race
A competitive and often stressful environment where people compete for success and advancement.
She's tired of the rat race and wants to simplify her life.
Smell a rat
To sense that something is wrong or suspicious.
She smelled a rat when her co-worker started asking too many questions about the project.
Straight from the horse's mouth
Information that comes directly from the original or authoritative source.
I heard straight from the horse's mouth that they're planning to expand the business.
Go ape
To act in a wild or frenzied manner.
The crowd will go ape when the band starts playing their favorite song.
Monkey suit
A formal suit worn for special occasions; typically refers to a tuxedo.
He wore a monkey suit to the wedding, even though he preferred casual attire.
Monkey business
Silly or dishonest behavior.
The manager won't tolerate any monkey business during work hours.
A dark horse
A little-known competitor who unexpectedly wins or succeeds.
The underdog candidate turned out to be a dark horse in the election, winning by a landslide.
Don’t put the cart before the horse
To do things in the wrong order.
You want to start painting the walls, but we still need to repair the cracks and holes. Let's not put the cart before the horse.
I could eat a horse
To be very hungry.
I haven't eaten all day; I could eat a horse!
Making hay
To take advantage of an opportunity; to make the most of a situation.
While the sun is shining, we need to start making hay and getting our work done.
A charlie horse
A painful muscle spasm, usually in the leg.
I woke up with a charlie horse in my calf this morning; it's been bothering me all day.
A one-horse town
A small, uninteresting town with little activity or excitement.
He grew up in a one-horse town where everyone knew each other's business.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink
You can provide someone with the opportunity or resources to do something, but you cannot force them to take advantage of it or to act in a certain way.
Despite giving my little brother all the study materials and encouragement, he refuses to prepare for his exams. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.
Wild horses couldn't drag someone away
To be deeply engrossed or committed to something to the extent that nothing, not even the most extreme efforts, could convince or force you to leave or stop doing that thing.
Despite the rain, the children were having so much fun playing outside that wild horses couldn't drag them away from the playground.
Fun as a barrel of monkeys
Very enjoyable and entertaining.
The party last night was fun as a barrel of monkeys! We laughed all night.
Monkey on your back
A problem or addiction that is difficult to get rid of.
He's been trying to quit smoking, but it's been a monkey on his back for years.
The fear of failure was a constant monkey on his back, holding him back from taking risks and pursuing new opportunities.
Cat's pajamas
Something or someone highly impressive or excellent.
The new car is the cat's pajamas! I love everything about it.
Teacher's pet
A student who is favored by the teacher and often receives special treatment.
She's always the teacher's pet because she always volunteers to help.
Night owl
A person who stays up late at night; someone who is most active or alert during the night.
I'm more of a night owl and prefer to work late into the evening.
Doggy bag
A container, often provided by a restaurant, for leftover food to be taken home.
We asked for a doggy bag so we could take home the extra food from dinner.
Birdbrain
Someone who is not very intelligent.
He forgot his keys again; what a birdbrain!
Bird’s-eye view
A view from above; a broad perspective or overview.
From the top of the mountain, you get a bird's-eye view of the entire valley.
Sly as a fox
Clever and deceitful; able to outsmart others.
He's sly as a fox when it comes to getting what he wants.
Have bigger fish to fry
To have something more important to do.
I don't have time for your complaints; I've got bigger fish to fry.
Have a bee in one's bonnet
To be obsessed with or preoccupied by a particular idea or topic.
She's got a bee in her bonnet about recycling; she won't stop talking about it!
Curiosity killed the cat
Being too inquisitive or curious may lead to trouble or danger.
I'd be careful if I were you; remember, curiosity killed the cat.
For the birds
Worthless, unimportant, or not deserving of attention.
I think this TV show is for the birds; it's not even funny.
Make a mountain out of a molehill
To exaggerate or make a small problem seem much larger or more serious than it is.
She always makes a mountain out of a molehill; it's just a scratch!
Put a bug in someone's ear
To suggest an idea or hint at something to someone.
I'll put a bug in her ear about the new project and see what she thinks.
At a snail's pace
Very slowly; at a very slow speed.
The traffic was moving at a snail's pace during rush hour.
Stir up a hornet's nest
To cause a lot of trouble or controversy.
She really stirred up a hornet's nest when she criticized the company's policies.
You can't teach an old dog new tricks
It is difficult to change someone's habits or behavior, especially if they have been doing something for a long time.
I've tried to teach my grandpa how to use a computer, but you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
Chickens come home to roost
The negative consequences of one's actions will eventually catch up with them.
He may think he can get away with it, but eventually, the chickens come home to roost.
Till/until the cows come home
For a very long time; indefinitely.
You can wait till the cows come home, but I'm not changing my mind.
Birds of a feather flock together
People who share similar interests, characteristics, or behaviors tend to associate with one another.
It's no surprise they get along so well; birds of a feather flock together.
