Animal Idioms

All bark and no bite: Someone who talks tough but doesn't act on their threats.

Ants in your pants: Unable to sit still or stay calm due to excitement or restlessness.

As busy as a bee: Very busy and active.

As gentle as a lamb: Very gentle and kind.

As happy as a clam: Very happy and content.

As strong as an ox: Very strong.

As stubborn as a mule: Very stubborn and unwilling to change.

As wise as an owl: Very wise and knowledgeable.

At a snail's pace: Very slowly.

At the drop of a hat: Immediately and without hesitation.

Back the wrong horse: Support someone or something that fails.

Barking up the wrong tree: Making a mistake or false assumption.

Be a fly on the wall: Be able to observe a situation without being noticed.

Beat a dead horse: Waste effort on something that has no chance of succeeding.

Bee in your bonnet: Preoccupied or obsessed with an idea.

Bird's-eye view: A view from a high angle as if seen by a bird in flight.

Birds of a feather flock together: People with similar interests or characteristics tend to associate with each other.

Black sheep: A member of a family or group who is regarded as a disgrace.

Blind as a bat: Having very poor eyesight.

Busy as a beaver: Very busy and hardworking.

Cat got your tongue: Unable to speak, often due to shyness or embarrassment.

Cat nap: A short, light sleep.

Cat's out of the bag: A secret has been revealed.

Chicken out: To decide not to do something due to fear.

Clam up: To suddenly stop talking or refuse to speak.

Cold turkey: Suddenly and completely stopping a habit or addiction.

Copycat: Someone who imitates another person.

Crocodile tears: Fake tears or insincere show of emotion.

Cry wolf: Raise a false alarm.

Curiosity killed the cat: Inquisitive behavior can lead to trouble.

Dark horse: A previously unknown person or thing that emerges to prominence.

Dead as a dodo: Completely dead or obsolete.

Dog days: The hottest days of summer.

Dog-eat-dog: Ruthlessly competitive.

Dog's breakfast: A complete mess.

Don't count your chickens before they hatch: Don't assume success until it actually happens.

Drink like a fish: Drink excessively.

Duck to water: Take to something very naturally and easily.

Dumb as an ox: Very stupid.

Dust bunny: A ball of dust and fluff.

Eager beaver: A very enthusiastic and hardworking person.

Eagle eye: Very observant.

Early bird catches the worm: Success comes to those who prepare well and put in effort early.

Eat crow: Admit you were wrong.

Eat like a horse: Eat a lot.

Egg on your face: Embarrassed or humiliated.

Elephant in the room: An obvious problem or issue that people avoid discussing.

Escape the rat race: Leave the competitive world of work.

Every dog has its day: Everyone gets a chance at success eventually.

Expose the wolf in sheep's clothing: Reveal someone who is pretending to be something they are not.

Face the music: Confront the consequences of your actions.

Feather your nest: Enrich yourself at the expense of others.

Fish out of water: Uncomfortable in a particular situation.

Flogging a dead horse: Waste time on a hopeless situation.

Fly on the wall: Someone who observes something without being noticed.

Fox in the henhouse: Someone who causes trouble in a vulnerable situation.

Free as a bird: Completely free.

Frog in your throat: Unable to speak clearly due to a sore throat.

Fussy as a hen: Overly concerned with details.

Gentle as a lamb: Very gentle and kind.

Get off your high horse: Stop acting superior.

Get your ducks in a row: Get organized.

Go ape: Become very excited or angry.

Go to the dogs: Deteriorate or go badly.

Gone to the dogs: Deteriorated.

Goosebumps: Small bumps on the skin caused by fear or excitement.

Grass is always greener on the other side: Other people's situations always seem better than your own.

Guard dog: A dog trained to protect property.

Guinea pig: Someone who is used as a subject in an experiment.

Hair of the dog: An alcoholic drink taken to cure a hangover.

Happy as a lark: Very happy.

Have a cow: Get very upset.

Hit the bullseye: Achieve the exact desired result.

Hit the hay: Go to bed.

Hive of activity: A place full of activity.

Hold your horses: Wait a moment.

Horse around: Play roughly.

Hound dog: A person who is very determined.

Hungry as a bear: Very hungry.

Idle hands are the devil's workshop: Inactivity leads to trouble.

In a pig's eye: Very unlikely.

In the catbird seat: In a superior or advantageous position.

In the clutches of a croc: In a very dangerous situation.

In the dog days: During the hottest days.

In the doghouse: In trouble or disfavor.

In the eagle's nest: In a high or advantageous position.

In the lion's den: In a very dangerous or hostile situation.

It's raining cats and dogs: It's raining very heavily.

Itchy as a flea: Very itchy.

Jack of all trades: Someone who can do many different types of work.

Jealous as a cat: Very jealous.

Jellyfish handshake: A weak handshake.

Jockey for position: Compete for a better position.

Join the rat race: Enter the competitive world of work.

Jump on the bandwagon: Join a popular trend.

Jump the shark: When something that was once popular begins to decline.

Jump through hoops: Do a lot of complicated things to achieve something.

Jungle law: The survival of the fittest.

Just a little bird told me: I heard it from a secret source.

Keep a weather eye open: Stay alert.

Keep the wolf from the door: Avoid poverty or hunger.

Keep your eye on the ball: Stay focused.

Keep your head above water: Survive with difficulty.

Kick the bucket: Die.

Kill two birds with one stone: Achieve two goals with one action.

King of the hill: The person in the highest position.

Kitten caboodle: The whole thing.

Knee-high to a grasshopper: Very young or very small.

Knock on wood: Avoid bad luck.

Let sleeping dogs lie: Avoid interfering in a situation that is currently causing no problems.

Let the cat out of the bag: Reveal a secret.

Like a bat out of hell: Very fast.

Like a bull in a china shop: Very clumsy.

Like a fish out of water: Uncomfortable in a particular situation.

Like shooting fish in a barrel: Very easy.

Like two peas in a pod: Very similar.

Like water off a duck's back: Have no effect.

Lion's share: The largest portion.

Lone wolf: Someone who prefers to act alone.

Mad as a hatter: Completely crazy.

Mad as a hornet: Very angry.

Make a beeline: Go straight toward something.

Make a mountain out of a molehill: Exaggerate a small problem.

Make hay while the sun shines: Take advantage of a good situation.

Memory of an elephant: Very good memory.

Monkey business: Mischievous or deceitful behavior.

Monkey see, monkey do: Copying someone without understanding why.

More fun than a barrel of monkeys: Very fun.

Mutton dressed as lamb: A middle-aged woman dressed in clothes suitable for a younger woman.

Nest egg: Savings set aside for future use.

Nettle grasping: Dealing with a difficult situation decisively.

Night owl: Someone who stays up late.

Nipping at your heels: Closely following or threatening.

Nose to the grindstone: Work hard and continuously.

Not a spring chicken: No longer young.

Not enough room to swing a cat: Very small space.

Nothing to crow about: Nothing to brag about.

Nudge the needle: Make a slight improvement.

Nurse a snake in your bosom: Be betrayed by someone you trust.

Odd duck: A strange or eccentric person.

Off the leash: Free from control.

Old dog, new tricks: Someone who is resistant to change.

On a wild goose chase: A futile search or pursuit.

On the lamb: On the run.

On the prowl: Searching for something.

One-trick pony: Someone who is skilled in only one area.

Open a can of worms: Create a complicated situation.

Out of the frying pan into the fire: From a bad situation to a worse one.

Outfox someone: Outsmart someone.

Pack rat: Someone who hoards things.

Pig in a poke: Something bought without seeing it first.

Pig out: Eat a lot.

Play possum: Pretend to be asleep or dead.

Proud as a peacock: Very proud.

Pull the wool over someone's eyes: Deceive someone.

Puppy love: Adolescent love.

Purr like a kitten: Be very content.

Put a bug in someone's ear: Suggest something to someone.

Put the cart before the horse: Do things in the wrong order.

Quack doctor: A fraudulent doctor.

Quack like a duck: Talk foolishly.

Quake like a leaf: Tremble with fear.

Queen bee: The most important woman in a group.

Queer fish: A strange person.

Quibble like a quail: Argue over trivial matters.

Quick as a bunny: Very quick.

Quiet as a graveyard: Very quiet.

Quiet as a mouse: Very quiet.

Quitting cold turkey: Suddenly stopping a habit.

Rabbit trail: A misleading or distracting path.

Rare as hen's teeth: Very rare.

Rat race: A competitive struggle for success.

Ravenous as a wolf: Very hungry.

Red herring: Something that distracts from the main issue.

Ride the goat: Experience initiation or hazing.

Roll with the punches: Adapt to difficult circumstances.

Rooster crowing: Boasting.

Ruffle feathers: Upset or annoy someone.

Running with the pack: Following the crowd.

Sacred cow: Something that is immune from criticism.

Sitting duck: An easy target.

Sly as a fox: Very clever and deceitful.

Smell a rat: Suspect something is wrong.

Snail mail: Traditional postal mail.

Snake in the grass: A treacherous person.

Stir up a hornet's nest: Provoke trouble.

Stool pigeon: An informant.

Straight from the horse's mouth: From a reliable source.

Swim with sharks: Deal with dangerous people.

Tail between the legs: Feeling ashamed or defeated.

Take the bull by the horns: Confront a problem head-on.

Teach an old dog new tricks: Teach someone new skills.

The lion's den: A dangerous situation.

Thick as thieves: Very close friends.

Tiger by the tail: A difficult situation to control.

Toady up: Flatter someone excessively.

Tongue tied: Unable to speak due to nervousness.

Top dog: The most important person.

Turn turtle: Capsize or turn over.

Ugly duckling: An unattractive child who becomes beautiful as they grow.

Unleash the dogs of war: Release chaos or conflict.

Until the cows come home: For a very long time.

Up with the larks: Wake up early.

Vulture eye: An evil or malevolent look.

White elephant: A burdensome or costly possession.

Wild goose chase: A futile pursuit.

Wise as an owl: Very wise.

Wolf in sheep's clothing: Someone who pretends to be harmless but is actually dangerous.

Work like a dog: Work very hard.

Worm your way out: Escape a difficult situation cleverly.

Write like a monkey: Write messily or poorly.

Yappy as a little dog: Very talkative.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks: It is difficult to change someone's habits.

Zebra stripes: Unique characteristics.

Zonked out: Extremely tired or asleep.