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Choose an animal to learn an idiom about it.Animal
Idioms
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Go to the Dogs
Definition: To deteriorate, to decrease in quality or value.
Sample Sentence: “If too many people move away, the town will go to the dogs.”
Animal Idioms Dog
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Don’t Count Your
Chickens Before
they Hatch
Animal Idioms
Definition: Don’t count on profits until you have them in hand.
Sample Sentence: “John put a down payment on a car, but he didn’t get the salary increase he was expecting, and can’t afford the payments. He shouldn’t have counted his chickens before they hatched.”
Chicken
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The Early Bird
Catches the Worm
Animal Idioms
Definition: A person who starts a project early has the best chance of reaping rewards.
Sample Sentence: “He spent the night outside the store so he could buy the newest video game when it went on sale in the morning. The early bird gets the worm.”
Bird
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Pull a Rabbit
out of a Hat
Animal Idioms
Definition: Solve a problem in an unexpected way.
Sample Sentence: “I missed my bus, but my mom forgot something and came back home for it, so I got a ride to school. It was like pulling a rabbit out of a hat.”
Rabbit
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Kill the Goose that
Lays the Golden
Egg
Animal Idioms
Definition: To spoil something good out of stupidity or impatience.
Sample Sentence: “Don’t pick on the nerdy kid that helps you with your homework. You’ll kill the goose that lays the golden egg.”
Goose
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Busy as a Beaver
Animal Idioms
Definition: working very hard, extremely industrious
Sample Sentence: “The students were as busy as beavers on Saturday morning, washing cars to raise money for their club.
Beaver
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Hold Your
Horses
Animal Idioms
Definition: Slow down, wait
Sample Sentence: “Hold your horses! I’ll be there in a minute.”
Horse
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Buy a Pig in a
Poke
Animal Idioms
Definition: To buy something without examining it.
Sample Sentence: “Don’t buy goods on Ebay that don’t display a photo of the actual item. Don’t buy a pig in a poke.”
Pig
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Don’t Have a
Cow
Animal Idioms
Definition: Don’t get anxious or upset.
Sample Sentence: “Don’t have a cow. Everything will turn out fine.”
Cow
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Let the Cat
Out of the Bag
Animal Idioms
Definition: To give away a secret.
Sample Sentence: “He let the cat out of the bag by telling Joe about the surprise party.”
Cat
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Rat Race
Animal Idioms
Definition: Fierce, unending, stressful competition in business or society.
Sample Sentence: “They couldn’t wait for vacation to get away from the rat race.”
Rat
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Kill Two Birds with
One Stone
Animal Idioms
Definition: To get two results with just one effort.
Sample Sentence: “By walking to the library, he can get exercise and the books he wants to read at the same time. He’s killing two birds with one stone.”
Birds
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Monkey
Business
Animal Idioms
Definition: Disorderly or dishonest activities.
Sample Sentence: “The teacher will not tolerate monkey business in her class.”
Monkey
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Get Your Goat
Animal Idioms
Definition: To annoy or make angry.
Sample Sentence: “It got his goat when he stayed after school for the club meeting and it only lasted ten minutes.”
Goat
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Fish out of
Water
Animal Idioms
Definition: A person who is out of his or her usual place.
Sample Sentence: “He felt like a fish out of water on his first day of high school.”
Fish
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Clean as a
Hound’s Tooth
Animal Idioms
Definition: Free from dirt, perfectly neat.
Sample Sentence: “Mary kept her room as clean as a hound’s tooth.”
Dog
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Fat Cat
Animal Idioms
Definition: A wealthy person.
Sample Sentence: “Maybe a fat cat will donate money for new computers at the Youth Center.”
Cat
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Cold Turkey
Animal Idioms
Definition: A sudden stopping of any habit.
Sample Sentence: “I quit biting my fingernails cold turkey. I put some over-the-counter product on them that tastes very bitter.”
Turkey
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Origin: Go to
the Dogs
Animal Idioms Dog
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As far back as the 1500s, food that was not thought suitable for human consumption was thrown to the dogs. The expression caught on and expanded to include any person or thing that came to a bad end, was ruined, or looked terrible.
As far back as the 1500s, food that was not thought suitable for human consumption was thrown to the dogs. The expression caught on and expanded to include any person or thing that came to a bad end, was ruined, or looked terrible.
Origin: Don’t Count
Your Chickens
Before they Hatch
Animal Idioms Chicken
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Aesop once wrote about a woman carrying a basket of eggs. In her mind she figured how much she would get for the chickens when the eggs hatched, and exactly how she would spend the money. She got so excited she dropped her egg basket. Every egg smashed. Today we use this fable to warn people not to be confident of a result before it happens.
Aesop once wrote about a woman carrying a basket of eggs. In her mind she figured how much she would get for the chickens when the eggs hatched, and exactly how she would spend the money. She got so excited she dropped her egg basket. Every egg smashed. Today we use this fable to warn people not to be confident of a result before it happens.
Origin: The Early
Bird Catches the
Worm
Animal Idioms Bird
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Birds like to eat worms. If a bird arrives late where the worms are, it will probably go hungry. But the bird who gets there early is sure to get some food.
Birds like to eat worms. If a bird arrives late where the worms are, it will probably go hungry. But the bird who gets there early is sure to get some food.
Origin: Pull a
Rabbit out of a
Hat
Animal Idioms Rabbit
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The magician’s trick of pulling a live rabbit out of an empty top hat is very old, but this expression is relatively new – from about the 1930s.The meaning has been transferred from the specific (a magic trick) to the general (a surprise answer to a difficulty).
The magician’s trick of pulling a live rabbit out of an empty top hat is very old, but this expression is relatively new – from about the 1930s.The meaning has been transferred from the specific (a magic trick) to the general (a surprise answer to a difficulty).
Origin: Kill the
Goose that Lays the
Golden Egg
Animal Idioms Goose
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There’s a fable by Aesop about a farmer who owns a goose that lays one golden egg at a time. The greedy farmer becomes impatient and kills the goose so he can get all the eggs at once. Of course, that didn’t work, so there were no more golden eggs.
There’s a fable by Aesop about a farmer who owns a goose that lays one golden egg at a time. The greedy farmer becomes impatient and kills the goose so he can get all the eggs at once. Of course, that didn’t work, so there were no more golden eggs.
Origin: Busy as a
Beaver
Animal Idioms Beaver
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This saying comes from the 17th century. For hundreds of years the beaver has been a symbol of diligent work. It is a very industrious animal.
This saying comes from the 17th century. For hundreds of years the beaver has been a symbol of diligent work. It is a very industrious animal.
Origin: Hold
Your Horses
Animal Idioms Horse
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This 19th century Americanism originated as an instruction to a carriage driver who was letting his team of horses go too fast. By pulling back on the reins, the driver could slow the horses to a stop. This was called “holding your horses.”
This 19th century Americanism originated as an instruction to a carriage driver who was letting his team of horses go too fast. By pulling back on the reins, the driver could slow the horses to a stop. This was called “holding your horses.”
Origin: Buy a
Pig in a Poke
Animal Idioms Pig
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A long time ago in England a small bag or sack was called a poke. Farmers carried their pigs in pokes to sell at markets and county fairs. Sometimes customers were cheated by dishonest farmers who had actually put a runt or even a cat in the sack, and made excuses for why the sack couldn’t be opened.
A long time ago in England a small bag or sack was called a poke. Farmers carried their pigs in pokes to sell at markets and county fairs. Sometimes customers were cheated by dishonest farmers who had actually put a runt or even a cat in the sack, and made excuses for why the sack couldn’t be opened.
Origin: Don’t
Have a Cow
Animal Idioms Cow
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Quoted often on the TV program, “The Simpsons.” The origin of this phrase is unknown.
Quoted often on the TV program, “The Simpsons.” The origin of this phrase is unknown.
Origin: Let the
Cat Out of the
Bag
Animal Idioms Cat
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Centuries ago in England you might have bought a costly pig at a farmer’s market. But if the merchant was dishonest, and put a worthless cat into the bag instead of a piglet, you might not find out until you got home and “let the cat out of the bag.”
Centuries ago in England you might have bought a costly pig at a farmer’s market. But if the merchant was dishonest, and put a worthless cat into the bag instead of a piglet, you might not find out until you got home and “let the cat out of the bag.”
Origin: Rat
Race
Animal Idioms Rat
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The term is nautical in origin and refers to a fierce tidal current, which in French sounds much like rat and/or race. It suggests a confusing, crowded scramble for survival.
The term is nautical in origin and refers to a fierce tidal current, which in French sounds much like rat and/or race. It suggests a confusing, crowded scramble for survival.
Origin: Kill Two
Birds with One
Stone
Animal Idioms Birds
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There was a similar expression in Latin about 2000 years, and the saying became popular in English centuries later. It comes from hunting birds by throwing stones. If you killed two birds with one stone, you would be carrying out two tasks with a single effort.
There was a similar expression in Latin about 2000 years, and the saying became popular in English centuries later. It comes from hunting birds by throwing stones. If you killed two birds with one stone, you would be carrying out two tasks with a single effort.
Origin:
Monkey
Business
Animal Idioms Monkey
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This expression has two meanings. One concerns comical behavior like that of a playful monkey. The other refers to sneaky, unlawful actions. From 20th century America.
This expression has two meanings. One concerns comical behavior like that of a playful monkey. The other refers to sneaky, unlawful actions. From 20th century America.
Origin: Get
Your Goat
Animal Idioms Goat
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This American expression dates from about 1900. It was a common practice to put a goat in the stall of a nervous racehorse to be its friend and keep it calm. If people wanted the horse to lose a race, they would sneak the goat out of the stall so the horse would be upset.
This American expression dates from about 1900. It was a common practice to put a goat in the stall of a nervous racehorse to be its friend and keep it calm. If people wanted the horse to lose a race, they would sneak the goat out of the stall so the horse would be upset.
Origin: Fish
out of Water
Animal Idioms Fish
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For thousands of years people have known that a fish belongs in water. That is its natural habitat. So, a person who feels uncomfortable in an unfamiliar situation will feel like the fish would if it were out of the water.
For thousands of years people have known that a fish belongs in water. That is its natural habitat. So, a person who feels uncomfortable in an unfamiliar situation will feel like the fish would if it were out of the water.
Origin: Clean
as a Hound’s
Tooth
Animal Idioms Dog
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The origin of this idiom is uncertain, but it refers to anything that is clean and shiny.
The origin of this idiom is uncertain, but it refers to anything that is clean and shiny.
Origin: Fat Cat
Animal Idioms Cat
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This term, which goes back to the 1920s in America, used to refer to rich people who gave big contributions to political candidates. “Fat” meant both the size of their waistlines (they could afford to eat well) and the size of their wallets. “Cat” was probably used because it rhymes with “fat.”
This term, which goes back to the 1920s in America, used to refer to rich people who gave big contributions to political candidates. “Fat” meant both the size of their waistlines (they could afford to eat well) and the size of their wallets. “Cat” was probably used because it rhymes with “fat.”
Origin: Cold
Turkey
Animal Idioms Turkey
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This is 20th century slang. The context of its origin is uncertain.It means to stop an unhealthy habit of any kind all at once, such as smoking, alcohol, drugs, fatty foods, sugar, etc.
This is 20th century slang. The context of its origin is uncertain.It means to stop an unhealthy habit of any kind all at once, such as smoking, alcohol, drugs, fatty foods, sugar, etc.