- to tease or fool someone, to change between different types of behavior when dealing with someone
The man is playing cat and mouse with his company about his plans to quit or not.
when the cat's away, the mice will play
- when you are not watching someone they may get into trouble
When the cat's away, the mice will play and when the teacher left the classroom the students began to play around.
Pig/Hog Idioms
as fat as a pig
- very fat
The woman in the supermarket was as fat as a pig.
buy a pig in a poke
- to buy something without seeing it or knowing anything about it
You can buy the used computer but it will be like buying a pig in a poke if you do not look at it first.
cast pearls before swine
- to waste something on someone who will not be thankful or care about it
Giving the jewellery to the woman will be casting pearls before swine. She will not appreciate it at all.
eat high on/off the hog
- to eat good or expensive food
We were eating high off the hog during our ocean cruise.
go hog-wild
- to behave wildly
The soccer fans went hog-wild when they arrived in the city for the game.
go whole hog
- to do everything possible, to be extravagant
We went whole hog in our effort to make the convention a success.
in a pig`s eye
- unlikely, not so, never
Never in a pig`s eye will my friend be able to save enough money to go to Mexico for the winter.
live high on/off the hog
- to have the best of everything
My friend has been living high on the hog since he changed jobs.
make a silk purse out of a sow's ear
- to create something of value from something of no value
You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. There is no point in trying to teach that woman manners.
piggy bank
- a small bank (sometimes in the shape of a pig) for saving money
The boy has been putting money into his piggy bank to save for a bicycle.
piggyback
- sitting or being carried on someone`s back and shoulders
The boy was riding piggyback on his father`s shoulders.
a road hog
- a car driver who uses more than his share of the road
The person in front of me on the highway was a road hog but I tried not to get angry.
Rat Idioms
rat on (someone)
- to report someone's bad behavior to someone
The little boy ratted on his friend at school.
rat out on (someone)
- to desert or betray someone
The boy ratted out on his friends. Now they won`t talk to him.
rat race
- a rushed and confusing way of living that does not seem to have a purpose
My uncle is tired of being in the rat race every day. He plans to quit his job soon and do something else.
smell a rat
- to be suspicious of someone or something, to feel that something is wrong
I smell a rat. There is something wrong with the free credit card offer.
Sheep/Goat Idioms
as gentle as a lamb
- very gentle
The girl is as gentle as a lamb when she is with her little sister.
as innocent as a lamb
- having no guilt, naive
The little girl is as innocent as a lamb and everybody loves her.
as meek as a lamb
- quiet, docile, meek
The secretary was as meek as a lamb when she went to ask her boss for a salary increase.
the black sheep of the family
- the worst or the most unpopular or disliked member of a family
My cousin is the black sheep of the family and nobody likes to talk about him.
get (someone`s) goat
- to annoy someone
My friend is always complaining about the way that I do things which gets my goat.
in two shakes of a lamb's tail
- very quickly
I promised that I would meet my friend in two shakes of a lamb's tail.
like lambs to the slaughter
- quietly and without complaining about the dangers that may lie ahead
Our football team went like lambs to the slaughter to play against the best football team in the country.
separate the sheep from the goats
- to divide people into two groups
We had to separate the sheep from the goats when we began to make selections for the school choir.
Wolf Idioms
cry wolf
- to give a false alarm, to warn of a danger that is not there
The man is crying wolf. There is no danger from the electrical system.
keep the wolf from the door
- to maintain oneself at the most basic level
My friend's part-time job is enough for him to keep the wolf from the door.
keep the wolves at bay
- to fight against some kind of trouble
Many people are angry about the new tax. The government has to work hard to keep the wolves at bay.
a lone wolf
- someone who prefers to spend time alone and has few friends
The boy was a lone wolf and spent most of his time alone.
throw (someone) to the wolves
- to send someone into danger without protection, to sacrifice someone
The salesman decided to throw his coworker to the wolves when he asked him to meet the angry customer.
wolf down (something)
- to gulp down something, to eat something quickly
I wolfed down my dinner and left the house for the movie.
a wolf in sheep`s clothing
- a person who pretends to be good but really is bad
"Be careful of that man. He is a wolf in sheep`s clothing."
Bird Idioms
Bird Idioms - Complete List
Chicken Idioms
Crow Idioms
Duck Idioms Goose Idioms
Owl Idioms
Swan Idioms
Quizzes
Bird Idioms
an albatross (around someone's neck)
- a problem that prevents someone from succeeding or making progress
The man's lack of a university degree is an albatross around his neck and it prevents him from being promoted.
as a duck takes to water
- easily and naturally
When the boy learned to swim it was just as a duck takes to water. It was very easy.
as bald as a coot
- completely bald
The man in the gas station is as bald as a coot.
as crazy as a loon
- crazy
Our neighbor is as crazy as a loon.
as dead as a dodo
- dead, no longer in existence
The dog was as dead as a dodo after the accident.
as easy as duck soup
- very easy, requiring no effort
Convincing the man to buy the car was as easy as duck soup.
as free as a bird
- completely free, carefree
I was as free as a bird when I finished my final school exam.
as graceful as a swan
- very graceful
The figure skater is as graceful as a swan.
as happy as a lark
- very happy and cheerful
The boy was as happy as a lark when he received his birthday present.
as hoarse as a crow
- very hoarse
The professor was as hoarse as a crow during the lecture.
as mad as a wet hen
- angry
The nurse was as mad as a wet hen when the patient tried to bite her.
as naked as a jaybird
- naked
The little boy was as naked as a jaybird when he finished his bath.
as proud as a peacock
- very proud, haughty
The man is as proud as a peacock of his young son.
as scarce as hen's teeth
- very scarce or nonexistent
Cheap hotels in this city are as scarce as hen's teeth.
as silly as a goose
- very foolish, very silly
My aunt acted as silly as a goose last evening.
as soft as down
- very soft to the touch (down is the soft and fine feathers from a goose or duck)
The fur on the little dog is as soft as down.
as the crow flies
- by the most direct way, along a straight line between two places
As the crow flies, it is about six kilometers between my house and downtown.
as wise as an owl
- very wise
My grandfather is as wise as an owl and he seems to know everything.
a bat out of hell
- very fast (bats are not birds but are mammals that can fly)
The man left here like a bat out of hell. I do not know why he was in such a hurry.
bats in the belfry
- crazy, eccentric (bats are not birds but are mammals that can fly)
I think that my boss has bats in the belfry. His ideas are absolutely crazy.
bird brain
- someone who you think is stupid
The man is a bird brain and he always makes mistakes at work.
a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
- something that is certain is better than something that is not certain
"You should keep the prize money and not try to win more. Remember that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
birds and the bees
- the facts about sex and birth and life, the facts of life
The boy learned about the birds and the bees in his health education class at school.
birds-eye view
- a general view from above
"Let`s go up to the roof and get a birds-eye view of the surrounding area."
birds of a feather flock together
- people who are similar become friends or join together
"Do not complain about your friends. Remember, birds of a feather flock together. Your friends are just like you."
chicken and egg situation
- a situation where two things happen together and it is difficult to see which one of them caused the other, related to two factors - each of which causes or leads to the other
I do not know if I should buy a new computer so I can make some money with it or make some money first and then buy a new computer. It is a chicken and egg situation.
chicken feed
- a small sum of money
The amount of money that I spent last night was chicken feed and I am not worried about it at all.
chicken-livered
- cowardly, easily scared
The boy called his friend chicken-livered which made the friend very angry.
chicken out of (doing something)
- to stop doing something because of fear
My friend was planning to come with us but he chickened out at the last moment.
chickens come home to roost
- someone`s words or actions come back to cause trouble for him or her
The man is always unkind to other people. However, his chickens have come home to roost and people are now very unkind to him.
clip (someone`s) wings
- to limit someone, to bring someone under control
We plan to clip the supervisor's wings because he is becoming too aggressive when dealing with other people.
cock-and-bull story
- a silly story that is not true
The student told her teacher a cock-and-bull story about why she was absent.
cock of the walk
- someone who thinks that he or she is more important than others in a group
The supervisor thinks that he is cock of the walk. He thinks that he can do anything that he wants.
cold turkey
- immediate and complete withdrawal from something on which one has become dependent (used when someone stops taking addictive drugs or tries to stop a bad habit)
The government program helped the drug addicts stop using heroin cold turkey.
The man plans to quit smoking cold turkey.
cook (someone`s) goose
- to damage someone's plans, to damage or ruin someone
The woman cooked her goose when she fought against her company and lost.
count one`s chickens before they`re hatched
- to depend or think that you will get something before you actually have it
"Don`t count your chickens before they`re hatched. Remember, you may not get the new job so you should not spend too much money."
dead duck
- someone in a hopeless situation or condition
The man is a dead duck. When the police catch him he will have to go to jail.
duck soup
- a task that does not require much effort
The exam was duck soup. I am sure that I did very well.
eagle eye
- an intently watchful eye
The boy has an eagle eye and he never misses anything.
early bird
- someone who arrives someplace early or starts something early
I am an early bird and I like to arrive early at work every morning.
the early bird catches the worm
- a person who gets up early in the morning has the best chance of success
"Let`s leave at six o`clock in the morning. Remember, the early bird catches the worm."
eat crow
- to admit that you are mistaken or defeated
Our boss was forced to eat crow when he discovered that he was totally wrong.
eat like a bird
- to eat very little
The boy must be sick. He has been eating like a bird recently.
feather in one`s cap
- something to be proud of, an honor
Winning the speech contest was a feather in the boy's cap.
feather one`s nest
- use one's position for one`s own financial benefits - especially while holding public office
The politician was feathering his nest for many years until he lost the election.
fly the coop
- to escape, to leave (like a chicken escaping from a chicken coop)
The two boys wanted to fly the coop when the school bell rang.
for the birds
- not interesting, something that you do not like, worthless
The movie was for the birds so we left early and went to a restaurant.
foul one's own nest
- to harm one's own interests, to bring discredit to one's family
I do not want to foul my own nest so I try to be very honest in all of my dealings with others.
get one's ducks in a row
- to put one's affairs in order
When I get my ducks in a row I will be able to make a decision about a new career.
go to bed with the chickens
- to go to bed as the sun is setting, to go to bed very early
My grandfather always goes to bed with the chickens because he works on a farm.
a gone goose
- someone or something that has departed or run away
The boy is a gone goose. He will not be returning today.
goose bumps
- a prickly or bumpy feeling on one's skin because of cold or fear or excitement (like the skin of a goose or a chicken)
I got goose bumps as I watched the horror movie.
one's goose is cooked
- one has been discovered to have done something wrong and he or she is now in trouble, one is finished, one's chances for something are ruined
My goose is cooked. Soon my friend will discover that I lost her bicycle.
in fine feather
- in good humor
My friend is in fine feather today. He has been laughing all morning.
kill the goose that lays the golden egg
- to spoil or destroy something that is beneficial or makes a lot of money
My friends sold part of their business but it is the most profitable part. I think that they have killed the goose that lays the golden egg.
kill two birds with one stone
- to succeed in doing two things with only one action
"Let`s have the meeting when we come to town to go shopping so that we can kill two birds with one stone."
lame duck
- a politician who has only a little time left in office and therefore has little power
The politician is a lame-duck leader and he is not effective at all.
lay an egg
- to give a bad performance
The performer laid an egg at the concert last night.
like water off a duck`s back
- without any effect, easily
Criticism falls away from my father like water off a duck`s back and he never worries about anything.
a little bird told me
- something is learned from a mysterious and secret source who you do not want to name
A little bird told me that my friend will have a surprise birthday party for me next week.
look like the cat that swallowed the canary
- to look very self-satisfied, to look as if you have just had a great success
The boy looked like the cat that swallowed the canary after he won the relay race.
lovely weather for ducks
- rainy weather
I commented to the wet letter carrier that it was lovely weather for ducks today.
neither fish nor fowl
- something that does not belong to a definite group
The manager's idea was neither fish nor fowl. Nobody knew what to do about it.
night owl
- someone who likes to stay up very late at night
My friend is a night owl and he loves to stay up late at night.
no spring chicken
- not young anymore
I do not know how old my aunt is but she is no spring chicken.
pecking order
- the way that people are ranked in relation to each other
I have not worked at my company very long so I do not understand the pecking order yet.
play chicken
- to do something dangerous in order to see who becomes frightened first and stops
The two boys were playing chicken in the schoolyard.
rare bird
- someone who is unusual
The woman is a rare bird and has done many interesting things in her life.
ruffle its feathers
- a bird points its feathers outward
The bird sat in the tree and ruffled its feathers.
ruffle (someone's) feathers
- to upset or annoy someone
I am usually very careful not to ruffle my supervisor's feathers.
rule the roost
- to be the boss or manager somewhere - often at home (a roost is a place where birds can perch or sit)
My grandfather ruled the roost in his family.
run around like a chicken with its head cut off
- to run around frantically and with no aim or purpose
I ran around like a chicken with its head cut off all morning as I prepared for my trip.
scarcer than hen's teeth
- very scarce or nonexistent
People who know about computers are scarcer than hen's teeth in our company.
sitting duck
- an unsuspecting person who is easily fooled - as if waiting to be attacked
The soldier at the window was like a sitting duck for the enemy.
spread one's wings
- to begin to be independent and try new things
My uncle's friend is beginning to spread his wings and try many new things.
swan song
- the last work or performance by an artist before death or retirement
The actor's swan song was his magnificent performance in his recent movie.
take (someone) under one's wings
- to begin to look after and care for someone
The teacher took the young boy under her wings when he came to the school.
talk turkey
- to talk frankly, to talk business
I went to see my friend because I knew that it was time to talk turkey with him.
try out one's wings
- to try to do something that you have recently learned or become qualified to do
I plan to try out my wings at golfing now that my lessons have finished.
ugly duckling
- an ugly or plain child (who grows up to be pretty)
The girl was an ugly duckling when she was a child but now she is very beautiful.
under the wings of (someone)
- to be under the care or control or protection of someone
The new teacher is now under the wings of the principal of the school.
watch (someone or something) like a hawk
- to watch someone or something very carefully
The mother watched her young child like a hawk.
what's good/sauce for the goose is good/sauce for the gander
- what is good for one person should be good for another person as well
What's good for the goose is good for the gander and if the food is good enough for me, then it is good enough for the other members of our team.
wild goose chase
- a chase that is futile or worthless
The motorcycle riders led the police on a wild goose chase.
wing it
- to do the best in a situation that one is not prepared for
I forgot to study so I had to wing it on the test.
Chicken Idioms
as mad as a wet hen
- angry
The nurse was as mad as a wet hen when the patient tried to bite her.
as scarce as hen's teeth
- very scarce or nonexistent
Cheap hotels in this city are as scarce as hen's teeth.
chicken and egg situation
- a situation where two things happen together and it is difficult to see which one of them caused the other, related to two factors - each of which causes or leads to the other
I do not know if I should buy a new computer so I can make some money with it or make some money first and then buy a new computer. It is a chicken and egg situation.
chicken feed
- a small sum of money
The amount of money that I spent last night was chicken feed and I am not worried about it at all.
chicken-livered
- cowardly, easily scared
The boy called his friend chicken-livered which made the friend very angry.
chicken out of (doing something)
- to stop doing something because of fear
My friend was planning to come with us but he chickened out at the last moment.
chickens come home to roost
- someone`s words or actions come back to cause trouble for him or her
The man is always unkind to other people. However, his chickens have come home to roost and people are now very unkind to him.
count one`s chickens before they`re hatched
- to depend or think that you will get something before you actually have it
"Don`t count your chickens before they`re hatched. Remember, you may not get the new job so you should not spend too much money."
go to bed with the chickens
- to go to bed as the sun is setting, to go to bed very early
My grandfather always goes to bed with the chickens because he works on a farm.
no spring chicken
- not young anymore
I do not know how old my aunt is but she is no spring chicken.
play chicken
- to do something dangerous in order to see who becomes frightened first and stops
The two boys were playing chicken in the schoolyard.
run around like a chicken with its head cut off
- to run around frantically and with no aim or purpose
I ran around like a chicken with its head cut off all morning as I prepared for my trip.
scarcer than hen's teeth
- very scarce or nonexistent
People who know about computers are scarcer than hen's teeth in our company.
Crow Idioms
as hoarse as a crow
- very hoarse
The professor was as hoarse as a crow during the lecture.
as the crow flies
- by the most direct way, along a straight line between two places
As the crow flies, it is about six kilometers between my house and downtown.
eat crow
- to admit that you are mistaken or defeated
Our boss was forced to eat crow when he discovered that he was totally wrong.
Duck Idioms
as a duck takes to water
- easily and naturally
When the boy learned to swim it was just as a duck takes to water. It was very easy.
as easy as duck soup
- very easy, requiring no effort
Convincing the man to buy the car was as easy as duck soup.
dead duck
- someone in a hopeless situation or condition
The man is a dead duck. When the police catch him he will have to go to jail.
duck soup
- a task that does not require much effort
The exam was duck soup. I am sure that I did very well.
get one's ducks in a row
- to put one's affairs in order
When I get my ducks in a row I will be able to make a decision about a new career.
lame duck
- a politician who has only a little time left in office and therefore has little power
The politician is a lame-duck leader and he is not effective at all.
like water off a duck`s back
- without any effect, easily
Criticism falls away from my father like water off a duck`s back and he never worries about anything.
lovely weather for ducks
- rainy weather
I commented to the wet letter carrier that it was lovely weather for ducks today.
sitting duck
- an unsuspecting person who is easily fooled - as if waiting to be attacked
The soldier at the window was like a sitting duck for the enemy.
ugly duckling
- an ugly or plain child (who grows up to be pretty)
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