Idioms about animals
| Let the cat out of the bag | Reveal a secret |
| A fish out of water | Someone who is uncomfortable in a particular situation |
| Kill two birds with one stone | Achieve two things with one action |
| The elephant in the room | An obvious problem that people avoid discussing |
| Busy as a bee | Very active and hardworking |
| Eagle eye | Someone who has sharp vision or is very observant |
| Hold your horses | Wait a moment; be patient |
| Raining cats and dogs | Raining very heavily |
| Snake in the grass | A deceitful or treacherous person |
| Cry wolf | Raise a false alarm; ask for help when it’s not needed |
| Dog days | The hottest days of summer |
| A little bird told me | A person received information from a secret or anonymous source |
| Like a fish out of water | Feeling out of place or uncomfortable |
| Straight from the horse’s mouth | Information directly from the original source |
| Monkey business | Silly or mischievous behavior |
| Take the bull by the horns | Face a difficult situation bravely |
| Get your ducks in a row | Organize things in preparation for something |
| Curiosity killed the cat | Being too inquisitive can lead to trouble |
| You can’t teach an old dog new tricks | It’s hard to change someone’s habits |
| The lion’s share | The largest part of something |
| Like water off a duck’s back | An insult or criticism that has no effect |
| Birds of a feather flock together | People who are similar tend to associate with each other |
| Let sleeping dogs lie | Don’t disturb a situation as it might cause trouble |
| Wolf in sheep’s clothing | Someone who seems harmless but is actually dangerous |
| Like a bull in a china shop | Clumsy and likely to cause damage |
| Cat nap | A short sleep during the day |
| Lame duck | Someone who is weak or fails to perform |
| Black sheep | The odd or disreputable member of a group |
| Wild goose chase | A futile or hopeless pursuit |
| Sick as a dog | Extremely ill |
| One-trick pony | Someone who is good at only one thing |
| Ants in your pants | Being restless or unable to stay still |
| Early bird catches the worm | Success comes to those who prepare well |
| Have bigger fish to fry | Have more important things to do |
| Cat got your tongue? | A phrase used when someone is unusually silent |
| Fishy | Suspicious or not quite right |
| Bird-brained | Not very smart; foolish |
| Pig out | Eat a lot of food, often in a messy way |
| Elephant in the room | A big problem that no one is talking about |
| Flog a dead horse | Waste effort on something that has no chance of success |
| Dog-eat-dog world | A situation of fierce competition |
| Horse of a different color | A situation or thing that is completely different |
| Cat’s meow | Something that is highly admired |
| Bats in the belfry | Someone who is crazy or eccentric |
| Herding cats | Trying to control or organize something that is uncontrollable |
| Bird’s-eye view | A general view from above |
| Go to the dogs | Deteriorate; become worse |
| Sitting duck | Someone who is easy to attack |
| Eat like a horse | Eat a lot of food |
| Bull in a china shop | A clumsy person who often breaks things |
| Mad as a hornet | Extremely angry |
| Hog the limelight | Take all the attention in a situation |
| Cat on a hot tin roof | Extremely nervous |
| Top dog | The most important person in a group |
| Wolf in sheep’s clothing | A person who seems good but is actually bad |
| Clam up | Suddenly stop talking |
Idioms about animals
| Paper tiger | Someone or something that seems threatening but is actually weak |
| Barking up the wrong tree | Accusing or pursuing the wrong person |
| The cat’s whiskers | Something or someone who is the best |
| As the crow flies | In a straight line (distance) |
| Butterflies in your stomach | Feeling nervous |
| Crocodile tears | Fake tears; insincere emotion |
| Dog-tired | Very tired |
| Goosebumps | A feeling of fear or excitement that makes your skin tingle |
| The tail wagging the dog | A situation where a smaller or less important part controls the whole |
| Piggyback | To carry something or someone on your back |
| Rat race | A competitive and stressful way of life |
| Sly as a fox | Very clever and deceitful |
| Wolf down | To eat something very quickly |
| Horse around | To play roughly or act silly |
| Chickens come home to roost | Bad deeds or mistakes return to cause trouble |
| Cram like a fish | Study intensively at the last minute |
| Frog in your throat | Difficulty in speaking due to a sore throat or nervousness |
| Play possum | Pretend to be asleep or unaware |
| Fish for compliments | Try to get compliments in an indirect way |
| Hair of the dog | An alcoholic drink taken to cure a hangover |
| Faster than a speeding bullet | Extremely fast |
Read More
