English Language Discussion Forums

Mad-ox · #**171** 29-Nov-2007, 18:28

hi,

a guinea pig= a person used in medical or other experiments.

eg.

Students in ten schools are to act as guinea pigs for these new teaching methods.

ORIGIN: A guinea pig is a small animal with short ears and no tail, often kept as a pet or used for laboratory research.

a guinea pig:

Madox

cooljamm · #**172** 01-Dec-2007, 07:18

raining cats and dogs

its raining very heavily.

now the question is?

how do you associate cats and dogs to raining heavily?

please elaborate on this tnx ........

cooljamm · #**173** 01-Dec-2007, 07:21

john doe

a term used in other countries for an unknown person.

now how about the other countries?

how do they name their unknown persons?

tnx a lot for the reply...........

Mad-ox · #**174** 01-Dec-2007, 08:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by cooljamm

raining cats and dogs

its raining very heavily.

now the question is?

how do you associate cats and dogs to raining heavily?

please elaborate on this tnx ........

hi cooljamm,

This expession 'raining cats and dogs' may have come from Norse mythology. Cats were supposed to have an influence over the weather, while dogs were the signal of storms.

Madox

Mad-ox · #**175** 01-Dec-2007, 14:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by cooljamm

john doe

a term used in other countries for an unknown person.

now how about the other countries?

how do they name their unknown persons?

tnx a lot for the reply...........

hi,

here is your answer: John Doe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

another: John Doe: Definition and Much More from Answers.com.

Madox

Mad-ox · #**176** 07-Dec-2007, 17:13

hi,

put/set the cat among the pigeons = do something that is likely to cause trouble

eg. She told all the staff they would have to cancel their holidays, and that really set the cat among the pigeons.

set the cat among the pigeons:

Madox

Mad-ox · #**177** 09-Dec-2007, 08:52

hello

like the cat that got the cream= very pleased or satisfied with yourself

eg. Ever since she won the that prize, she's been like the cat that got the cream.

Madox

Mad-ox · #**178** 14-Dec-2007, 14:18

hello

drink like a fish= regularly drink too much alcohol

e.g.

Her husband drinks like a fish.

Madox

Mad-ox · #**179** 15-Dec-2007, 06:59

hi,

cold enough to freeze the tail/nose off a brass monkey= freezing cold; very cold; rock shattering cold; as cold as a witch's tit; bone splitting cold.

e.g.

In December, it is cold enough to freeze the tail/nose off the brass monkey.

Madox

**RonBee** · #**180** 16-Dec-2007, 03:25

What about a bull in a china shop? Does anybody know that one?

~R