English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
ANIMALS - BIRDS - FISH - INSECTS, page 9
Idioms
from:
'horse sense' to: 'a leopard can't change its spots'
- horse sense
- Someone who has horse sense is a practical thinker
who has the ability to make sensible decisions.
"Don't worry. Andrew has good horse sense. He'll do the right thing."
- Someone who has horse sense is a practical thinker
who has the ability to make sensible decisions.
- back / bet on the wrong horse
- If you back or bet on the wrong horse, for example the
loser in a contest, match or election, you support the wrong person.
"When I voted for him I was convinced he would win, but I backed the wrong horse!"
- If you back or bet on the wrong horse, for example the
loser in a contest, match or election, you support the wrong person.
- beat/flog a dead
horse
- To say that someone
is beating (or flogging) a dead horse
means that they are wasting time and effort
trying to do or achieve something that is
impossible.
"Mark is beating a dead horse trying to get his money reimbursed. The company has gone bankrupt!"
- To say that someone
is beating (or flogging) a dead horse
means that they are wasting time and effort
trying to do or achieve something that is
impossible.
- could eat a
horse
- To say that you could eat a horse means that
you are very hungry.
"Let's get something to eat. I'm starving. I could eat a horse!"
- To say that you could eat a horse means that
you are very hungry.
- (a) dark horse
- A dark horse
is secretive person who keeps hidden a surprising ability or skill.
"He is such a dark horse. I never knew he was a playwright!"
- A dark horse
is secretive person who keeps hidden a surprising ability or skill.
- get on your high horse
- If you get on
your high horse, you start behaving in
a haughty manner, as though you should be
treated with more respect.
"He got on his high horse when he was asked to show his membership card."
- If you get on
your high horse, you start behaving in
a haughty manner, as though you should be
treated with more respect.
- change horses in midstream
- If you change horses in midstream, you change your
plan, or choose a new leader, in the middle of an important activity.
"Let's go through with the original plan; it's risky to change horses in midstream."
- If you change horses in midstream, you change your
plan, or choose a new leader, in the middle of an important activity.
- hold your horses
- If you tell someone
to hold their horses, you think
they are doing something too fast and should
slow down and not rush into further action.
"Hold your horses! We need to get the customer's approval first!."
- If you tell someone
to hold their horses, you think
they are doing something too fast and should
slow down and not rush into further action.
- one horse town
- A place referred to as a one-horse town
is a small, boring town where nothing much ever happens.
"I wish my grandparents didn't live in that one-horse town. It's such a boring place!"
- A place referred to as a one-horse town
is a small, boring town where nothing much ever happens.
- horses for courses
- This expression means that because horses race better on a
course that suits them, it is important to match people with suitable jobs or tasks. A
person suited to one activity may not be suited to another.
"His experience in sales doesn't necessarily make him ideal for the job. Horses for courses, as the saying goes!"
- This expression means that because horses race better on a
course that suits them, it is important to match people with suitable jobs or tasks. A
person suited to one activity may not be suited to another.
- straight from the
horse's mouth
- If you learn something straight from the horse's
mouth, the information is given to you by someone who is directly involved.
"How do you know Sam has resigned?"
"I got it straight from the horse's mouth - Sam told me himself!"
- If you learn something straight from the horse's
mouth, the information is given to you by someone who is directly involved.
- kangaroo court
- A kangaroo court is an illegal tribunal set up by a group of people
who have taken the law into their own hands and conduct trials which deny fundamental justice.
"Calm down please! Is this a meeting or a kangaroo court?"
- A kangaroo court is an illegal tribunal set up by a group of people
who have taken the law into their own hands and conduct trials which deny fundamental justice.
- handle with kid gloves
- If you handle someone with kid gloves,
you treat them
very carefully or tactfully, either because they are very important or because they are
easily upset or offended.
"He's so determined to obtain her agreement that he is handling her with kid gloves (soft leather made from young goat skin)."
- If you handle someone with kid gloves,
you treat them
very carefully or tactfully, either because they are very important or because they are
easily upset or offended.
- as weak as a kitten
- Someone who is as weak as a kitten is
very feeble or has no strength.
"During her illness she felt as weak as a kitten."
- Someone who is as weak as a kitten is
very feeble or has no strength.
- have kittens
- To say that you're going to have kittens is
a dramatic way of expressing worry, anxiety or fear.
"His mother nearly had kittens when Alex announced that we wanted to be a trapeze artist."
- To say that you're going to have kittens is
a dramatic way of expressing worry, anxiety or fear.
- mutton dressed as
lamb
- This expression refers to a middle-aged woman who tries to
look younger by dressing in clothes designed for younger people.
"The style doesn't suit her - it has a mutton-dressed-as-lamb effect on her!"
- This expression refers to a middle-aged woman who tries to
look younger by dressing in clothes designed for younger people.
- (a) leopard can't change its spots
- To say that a leopard can't change its spots means that
it is impossible for people to change their fundamental nature.
"Tony promised his wife he’d change his ways, but a leopard can’t change its spots!"
- To say that a leopard can't change its spots means that
it is impossible for people to change their fundamental nature.
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