English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms - D, page 6
from: 'dog and pony show'
to: 'let sleeping dogs lie'
- a dog and pony show
- A dog and pony show is a marketing event or presentation which has plenty of style but not much content.
- A dog and pony show is a marketing event or presentation which has plenty of style but not much content.
- dog in the manger
- A person referred to as a dog in the manger is someone who stops others
from enjoying something he/she cannot use or doesn't want.
"She hates the guitar so she won't allow her son to learn to play it - a real dog in the manger!"
- A person referred to as a dog in the manger is someone who stops others
from enjoying something he/she cannot use or doesn't want.
- like a dog with two tails
- If someone is like a dog with two tails, they are extremely happy.
"When Paul won the first prize he was like a dog with two tails."
- If someone is like a dog with two tails, they are extremely happy.
- every dog has its day
- This expression means that everyone can be successful at something at some time in their life.
"I didn't win this time, but I'll be lucky one day. Every dog has its day."
- This expression means that everyone can be successful at something at some time in their life.
- give a dog a bad name
- People who lose their reputation have difficulty regaining it because others continue to blame or suspect them.
"Tom was suspected as usual. Give a dog a bad name!"
- People who lose their reputation have difficulty regaining it because others continue to blame or suspect them.
- old dog for a hard road
- This expression means that experience is invaluable when one is faced with a difficult task.
"The case calls for an experienced lawyer, an old dog for a hard road."
- This expression means that experience is invaluable when one is faced with a difficult task.
- small dog, tall weeds
- This expression is used to refer to someone who does not have
the ability or the resources necessary to perform a task.
"It may be too difficult for the trainee - small dog, tall weeds!"
- This expression is used to refer to someone who does not have
the ability or the resources necessary to perform a task.
- why keep a dog and bark yourself?
- This expression means that if someone or something can do a task for you, there's no reason to do it yourself.
"My grandmother has an electric mixer but she continues to make her cakes by hand. Why keep a dog and bark yourself?"
- This expression means that if someone or something can do a task for you, there's no reason to do it yourself.
- a dog's breakfast
- To describe something as a dog's breakfast means that it is a complete mess.
"The new secretary made a dog's breakfast out of the filing system."
- To describe something as a dog's breakfast means that it is a complete mess.
- a dog's life
- People use this expression when complaining about a situation
or job which they find unpleasant or unsatisfactory.
"It's a dog's life working in the after-sales department."
- People use this expression when complaining about a situation
or job which they find unpleasant or unsatisfactory.
- go to the dogs
- To say that a company, organisation or country is going to the dogs means that it is
becoming less successful or efficient than before.
"Some think the company will go to the dogs if it is nationalised."
- To say that a company, organisation or country is going to the dogs means that it is
becoming less successful or efficient than before.
- let sleeping dogs lie
- If you tell someone to let sleeping dogs lie , you are asking them not to interfere with a situation
so as to avoid making matters worse.
"Look, they've settled their differences. It's time to let sleeping dogs lie."
- If you tell someone to let sleeping dogs lie , you are asking them not to interfere with a situation
so as to avoid making matters worse.
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