Idiom Category: Animals, Page 5

Like a fish needs a bicycle

If someone needs something like a Fish Needs a Bicycle, they do not need it at all, originally a feminist slogan: A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.

Like a fish out of water

If someone feels like a fish out of water, they are very uncomfortable in the situation they are in.

Like a hawk

If you watch something or someone like a hawk, you observe very closely and carefully.

Like a headless chicken

If someone rushes about like a headless chicken, they move very fast all over the place, usually without thinking.

Like a moth to a flame

Something that is like a moth to a flame is attracted to something that is deadly or dangerous.

Like a rat deserting a sinking ship

If people leave a company because they know that it's about to have serious problems, or turn their back on a person about to be in a similar situation, they are said to be like rats deserting a sinking ship.

Like collecting frogs in a bucket

Something like colecting frogs in a bucket describes a task that is difficult to control or coordinate

Like lambs to the slaughter

If somebody does something unpleasant without any resistance, they go like lambs to the slaughter.

Lion's share

The lion's share of something is the biggest or best part.

Live high off the hog

If you are living high off the hog, you are living lavishly.

Loan shark

A loan shark lends money at very high rates of interest.

Lock horns

When people lock horns, they argue or fight about something.

Lock the stable door after the horse has bolted

If someone takes action too late, they do this; there is no reason to lock an empty stable.

Lone wolf

A lone wolf is a person who prefers to do things on their own or without help from other people.

Look what the cat dragged in

This idiom is used when someone arrives somewhere looking a mess or flustered and bothered.

Lord love a duck

An exclamation used when nothing else will fit. Often fitting when one is stunned or dismayed.

Love me, love my dog

If you love someone, you should accept everything about them and the people they like.

Lower than a snake's belly

Someone or something that is lower than a snake's belly is of a very low moral standing.

Lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut

(USA) If someone or something is lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut, they are of low moral standing because a snake's belly is low and if the snake is in a wagon rut, it is really low.

Mad as a badger

If someone is as mad as a badger, they are crazy.

Mad as a cut snake

(AU) One who is mad as a cut snake has lost all sense of reason, is crazy, out of control.

Mad as a hornet

(USA) If someone is as mad as a hornet, they are very angry indeed.

Mad as a March hare

Someone who is excitable and unpredictable is as mad as a March hare.

Mad as a wet hen

If someone is as mad as a wet hen, they are extremely angry.

Make a monkey of someone

If you make a monkey of someone, you make them look foolish.

Memory like an elephant

'An elephant never forgets' is a saying, so if a person has a memory like an elephant, he or she has a very good memory indeed.

Mess with a bull, you get the horns

If you do something stupid or dangerous, you can get hurt.

Monkey business

If children get up to monkey business, they are behaving naughtily or mischievously. This is the same as 'monkeying around'.

Monkey see, monkey do

This idiom means that children will learn their behaviour by copying what they see happening around them.

More than one way to skin a cat

When people say that there is more than one way to skin a cat, they mean that there are different ways of achieving the same thing.

My dogs are barking

(USA) When someone says this, they mean that their feet are hurting.

Nature of the beast

The basic characteristics of something is the nature of the beast; often used when there's an aspect of something that cannot be changed or that is unpleasant or difficult.

Neither fish nor fowl

Something or someone that is neither fish nor fowl doesn't really fit into any one group.

Night owl

A night owl is someone who goes to bed very late.

No dog in this fight

If you have no dog in a fight, you are not concerned and will not be affected either way by the outcome of something.

No spring chicken

If someone is no spring chicken, they are not young.

Not enough room to swing a cat

If a room is very small, you can say that there isn't enough room to swing a cat in it.

Not give a monkey's

(UK) If you couldn't give a monkey's about something, you don't care at all about it.

Not hurt a fly

Somebody who would not hurt a fly is not aggressive.

On the hoof

If you decide something on the hoof, you do it without planning, responding to events as they happen.

On the wallaby track

(AU) In Australian English, if you're on the wallaby track, you are unemployed.

On your high horse

When someone is on their high horse, they are being inflexible, arrogant and will not make any compromises.

One swallow does not make a summer

This means that one good or positive event does not mean that everything is all right.

One-trick pony

A one-trick pony is someone who does one thing well, but has limited skills in other areas.

Opening a can of worms

If you open a can of worms, you do something that will cause a lot of problems and is, on balance, probably going to cause more trouble than it's worth.

Other fish to fry

If you have other fish to fry, it doesn't matter if one opportunity fails to materialise as you have plenty of others.

Paper tiger

A paper tiger is a person, country, institution, etc, that looks powerful, but is actually weak.

Parrot fashion

If you learn something parrot fashion, you learn it word for word. A parrot is a bird from South America that can talk.

Pecking order

The pecking order is the order of importance or rank.

Pet peeve

A pet peeve is something that irritates an individual greatly.

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