ANIMAL IDIOMS – PART 2

1. Snake In The Grass

Meaning: The phrase snake in the grass refers to a treacherous or deceitful person.
Example: He's a guy you can't trust, a snake in the grass.

2. Like Shooting Fish In A Barrel

Meaning: Very easy to catch or trick
Example: I’m an expert in auto repair, fixing this is like shooting fish in a barrel.

3. When Pigs Fly

Meaning: If you say when pigs fly you mean that something will never happen.
Example: Sure she'll help us clean the house when pigs fly.

4. Busy As A Bee
Meaning: Extremely busy
Example: My son is working on his science project. He’s been as busy as a bee all day.

5. Sitting Duck
Meaning: Said about someone or something vulnerable to attack.
Example: Because of his unpopular opinions about foreign policy, he made of himself a sitting
duck.

6. Dog Eat Dog

Meaning: Very competitive
Example: It’s a dog eat dog world out there.

7. Wild Goose Chase

1|Page
Meaning: Chasing something that’s very impossible to catch
Example: You’re taking me on a wild goose chase, will you just give me an exact address
where I should go?

8. Sacred Cow
Meaning: anything someone believes in without ever being able to question or criticize.
Example: He didn't like to discuss the sacred cow of his new religious beliefs.

9. At A Snail’s Pace
Meaning: Moving very slowly
Example: Traffic is moving at a snail’s pace.

10. Open A Can Of Worms

Meaning: Create a whole new set of problems
Example: You’ve opened a real can of worms here.

11. The World Is Your Oyster

Meaning: You have many good opportunities in front of you
Example: You just graduated from a wonderful university, so the world is your oyster!

12. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Meaning: Leave it alone, leave something in peace
Example: It wasn't that we didn't want to improve the school - it was more a case of letting
sleeping dogs lie.

13. Watching Like A Hawk

Meaning: Watching something very, very, closely
Example: The boss watches us like a hawk.

2|Page
14. Mad As A Hornet
Meaning: Very angry, or furious
Example: Mom was as mad as a hornet when we broke the mirror.

15. Get Your Ducks In A Row

Meaning: Organize things
Example: I’ll You can't hope to go into a company and sell something until you get your ducks
in a row.

16. Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing

Meaning: Someone who is dangerous presenting as gentle, weak or innocent
Example: Don’t trust him, he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

17. Eagle Eyes

Meaning: Have excellent vision, or watching something very closely, not missing a detail
Example: The teacher goes over the tests with an eagle eye.

18. Hold Your Horses

Meaning: Slow down, stop
Example: Hold your horses! There’s no need to rush.

19. I’ll Be A Monkey’s Uncle

Meaning: I’m very surprised
Example: Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. I never thought I’d pass that test.

20. Pet Peeve

Meaning: Common annoyance, something that’s specifically annoying to you

3|Page
Example: I hate when people don’t put things back where they belong, it’s a pet peeve of mine.

21. Pick Of The Litter

Meaning: The best choice, or your favorite option
Example: Of the books I read so far, Wings of Fire was my pick of the litter.

22. Puppy Love

Meaning: Feelings of love or affection, usually innocent and temporary, occurring during
childhood or adolescence.
Example: I had a crush on my next door neighbor, but that was just puppy love.

23. Guinea Pig

Meaning: Test subject
Example: We’re conducting a study and we’re looking for volunteers to act as guinea pigs.

24. A Little Bird Told Me

Meaning: Somebody secretly told me
Example: I heard you got a new job in a famous company, a little birdie told me!

25. Neither Fish Nor Fowl

Meaning: Something that is not easily categorized
Example: I can't see what you want to say. Your proposal is neither fish nor fowl.

26. Butterflies In One’s Stomach

Meaning: When you say that you have butterflies in your stomach, you’re saying that you’re
very nervous
Example: Even experienced musicians sometimes get butterflies in their stomach before a
performance.

4|Page
27. Rain Cats And Dogs
Meaning: to rain heavily
Example: How come that you are going out in that storm? It's raining cats and dogs.

28. ants in one's pants

Meaning: unable to sit still or remain calm out of nervousness or excitement
Example: Elisa had ants in her pants the day before her interview.

29. Odd Duck

Meaning: An unusual person, especially an individual with an idiosyncratic personality or
peculiar behavioral characteristics.
Example: This boy is an odd duck in many ways. Unlike his peers, he has no hobbies.

30. Not Enough Room To Swing A Cat

Meaning: not very much space.
Example: Their house was very small. There wasn't enough room to swing a cat.

31. Bull In A China Shop

Meaning: Very clumsy person
Example: He was like a bull in a china shop, he completely messed everything up.

32. Not Have A Cat In Hell's Chance

Meaning: not to be able to achieve something.
Example: He hasn't a cat in hell's chance of getting the money he needs for the project.

33. Rat Race

Meaning: fierce, competitive struggle for power, position etc

5|Page
Example: I'm ready to leave this rat race and retire in Paris.

34. Take The Bull By The Horns

Meaning: face a challenge or danger boldly
Example: If you really think you deserve a promotion, you'll have to take the bull by the
horns.

35. Until The Cows Come Home

Meaning: for a very long time
Example: I could eat pizza and ice-cream until the cows come home.

6|Page