Idioms with funny animals

[Unregisteredff]

Hello,
My question is not about grammar... Namely I'd like to ask if you know any idioms connected with 'dragon' or 'cow' (beside 'chase the dragon' and 'till the cows come home')?
Thanks :)

[MikeNewYork]

Hello,
My question is not about grammar... Namely I'd like to ask if you know any idioms connected with 'dragon' or 'cow' (beside 'chase the dragon' and 'till the cows come home')?
Thanks :)

as awkward as a cow on roller skates


- very awkward
The little girl was as awkward as a cow on roller skates when she first began riding her bicycle.

a bull in a china shop


- a tactless person who upsets others or upsets plans, a very clumsy person
The boy is like a bull in a china shop so you should be careful if you invite him to your house.

a cash cow


- a product or service that makes much money
Our new business is a cash cow. We are making a lot of money now.

have a cow


- to become very angry and upset about something
Our teacher had a cow when he discovered that nobody had prepared for the class.

hit the bulls-eye


- to reach the main point of something
I think that our manager hit the bulls-eye when he talked about the real problems in the company.

Holy cow


- used to express strong feelings of astonishment/pleasure/anger
"Holy cow," the man said when he saw the car that had hit the street lamp.

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 will never change.

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.

[Mariner]

There's also an offensive comment that virtually everyone has heard in movies
Hint: It includes a bull and his digestive system

[MikeNewYork]

Also: bum steer -- bad advice, something worthless

[Jamgirl]

As Bart Simpson would say:
'Don't have a cow, man' i.e. don't go crazy or get annoyed
'Cowabunga!!!' = hooray!
It's strange that Bart Simpson seems so into cows...

[BobK]

Lots of bulls and cows, but no dragon yet. Here are a couple (both rather dubious):

"dragon's tears" - more often "crocodile tears", but I think I may have hear "dragon" once or twice: "crocodile tears" are unfelt and showy - the image is of a crocodile crying over the fate of the man he's eating.

"dragon's teeth" - more usually "hen's teeth", as in "as rare as hen's teeth" (meaning very rare). Again, I'm not sure I've heard this one, but suspect I may have.

b

[Jamgirl]

There's a programme on English TV called 'Dragon's Den', where people pitch their ideas for inventions and new products to a panel of scary business people to try to get their investment. If the business people don't like the idea, they tend to be quite damning and the inventors go away with no money and quite upset! It's quite a cruel show for most people taking part. I had not heard the expression before the show came on the TV, but I interpret it as being not a very nice place to be!!

[BobK]

There's a programme on English TV called 'Dragon's Den', where people pitch their ideas for inventions and new products to a panel of scary business people to try to get their investment. If the business people don't like the idea, they tend to be quite damning and the inventors go away with no money and quite upset! It's quite a cruel show for most people taking part. I had not heard the expression before the show came on the TV, but I interpret it as being not a very nice place to be!!

I'd thought of that before posting, but dismisssed it as a scriptwriter's brainchild. But on further reflection, I think I've heard 'dragon's lair' used to mean an inhospitable place. I think the TV show mixes this with the more common 'lion's den'.

b

[Jamgirl]

Ah yes, 'dragon's lair' rings a bell. Well remembered.