ANIMAL IDIOMS – PART 1

1. cry wolf
Meaning: Meaning: to give a false alarm, to warn of a danger that is not there
Example: The man is crying wolf. There is no danger from the electrical system.

2. keep the wolf from the door

Meaning: to maintain oneself at the most basic level
Example: My friend's part-time job is enough for him to keep the wolf from the door.

3. keep the wolves at bay

Meaning: to fight against some kind of trouble
Example: Many people are angry about the new tax. The government has to work hard to keep
the wolves at bay.

4. alone wolf
Meaning: someone who prefers to spend time alone and has few friends
Example: The boy was a lone wolf and spent most of his time alone.

5. throw someone to the wolves

Meaning: to send someone into danger without protection, to sacrifice someone
Example: The salesman decided to throw his coworker to the wolves when he asked him to
meet the angry customer.

6. wolf down something

Meaning: to eat something quickly
Example: I wolfed down my dinner and left the house for the movie.

7. a wolf in sheep’s clothing

Meaning: a person who pretends to be good but really is bad
Example: Be careful of that man. He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

8. alley cat
Meaning: a stray cat
Example: I began to feed the alley cat and now it comes to my house every day.

9. as conceited as a barber's cat

Meaning: very conceited
Example: My friend became as conceited as a barber's cat after she won the award at school.

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10. as weak as a kitten
Meaning: weak, sickly
Example: The girl is as weak as a kitten and cannot carry the books.

11. cat burglar

Meaning: a burglar who enters a building by climbing a wall etc.
Example: A cat burglar entered our apartment and stole our television.

12. cat gets one’s tongue

Meaning: one cannot speak because of shyness
Example: The cat got the woman's tongue and she could not say anything at all.

13. a cat has nine lives

Meaning: cats can survive accidents that would kill most animals
Example: The boy never becomes injured. He is like a cat with nine lives.

14. a cat in gloves catches no mice

Meaning: if you are too careful and polite you may not get what you want
Example: A cat in gloves catches no mice and I advised my friend that he should be more
aggressive at work or he will not be successful.

15. a cat nap

Meaning: a short sleep taken during the day
Example: I had a cat nap during the afternoon so that I would feel refreshed in the evening.

16. a cat on a hot tin roof

Meaning: full of lively activity
Example: The boy was jumping around like a cat on a hot tin roof and we could not make him
be quiet.

17. a copycat
Meaning: someone who copies another person`s work etc.
Example: The boy is a copycat and copies the other students' work.

18. curiosity killed the cat

Meaning: being too nosy or curious may get a person into trouble
Example: You should not worry about what your friend is doing. Remember, curiosity killed
the cat.

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19. fight like cats and dogs
Meaning: to argue and fight with someone
Example: The two children were fighting like cats and dogs when we entered the room.

20. a fraidy cat

Meaning: someone who is easily frightened
Example: The little boy called his friend a fraidy cat because his friend would not climb the
tree.

21. grin like a Cheshire cat

Meaning: to grin or smile broadly
Example: The little boy was grinning like a Cheshire cat when he entered the room.

22. let the cat out of the bag

Meaning: to tell something that is supposed to be a secret
Example: The teacher let the cat out of the bag when she began talking about the plans to close
the school.

23. look like something the cat dragged in

Meaning: to look tired or worn out or dirty
Example: I was very tired and I looked like something the cat dragged in.

24. look like the cat that swallowed/ate the canary

Meaning: to look smug and self-satisfied, to look as if you have just had a great success
Example: Your presentation must have gone well. You look like the cat that swallowed the
canary.

25. not enough room to swing a cat

Meaning: not very much space
Example: There was not enough room to swing a cat in the house.

26. play cat and mouse with someone

Meaning: to change between different types of behavior when dealing with someone
Example: The man is playing cat and mouse with his company about his plans to quit or not.

27. put the cat among the pigeons

Meaning: to cause trouble
Example: Tell them all they've got to work on Saturday. That should set the cat among the
pigeons.

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28. rain cats and dogs
Meaning: to rain very hard
Example: It has been raining cats and dogs all day.

29. rub someone the wrong way

Meaning: to irritate someone
Example: The man who I work with rubs me the wrong way.

30. a scaredy-cat
Meaning: someone who is easily frightened
Example: The children called their friend a scaredy-cat because she would not enter the empty
house.

31. there is more than one way to skin a cat

Meaning: there is more than one way to do something
Example: I knew that there was more than one way to skin a cat so I did not worry about the
rules and time limit of my project.

32. when the cat's away, the mice will play

Meaning: when a person with authority is absent then those below him or her can do whatever
they want
Example: When the cat's away, the mice will play and when the teacher left the classroom the
students began to play.

33. as awkward as a cow on roller skates

Meaning: very awkward
Example: The little girl was as awkward as a cow on roller skates when she began riding her
bicycle.

34. a bull in a china shop

Meaning: a very clumsy person
Example: The boy is like a bull in a china shop so you should be careful if you invite him to
your house.

35. a cash cow

Meaning: a product or service that makes much money
Example: Our new business is a cash cow. We are making much money now.

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36. have a cow
Meaning: to become very angry and upset about something
Example: Our teacher had a cow when nobody prepared for the class.

37. hit the bulls-eye

Meaning: to reach or focus on the main point of something
Example: Our manager hit the bulls-eye when he talked about the problems in the company.

38. Holy cow

Meaning: used to express strong feelings of astonishment or pleasure or anger
Example: A friend of mine is in Hollywood filming a movie this month. Holy cow, that must be
so cool.

39. a sacred cow

Meaning: a person or thing that is never criticized or changed even if it should be
Example: The school lunch program is a sacred cow which they will never change.

40. take the bull by the horns

Meaning: to take decisive and direct action
Example: My aunt decided to take the bull by the horns and begin preparations for the family
reunion.

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