TESOL/Animal idioms

"I'd like to have been a fly on the wall when your boss heard he'd been fired."

By using concealed cameras, fly on the wall television programmes or films show people doing what they normally do every day. Big Brother is a good example of this type of reality TV programme. We use the expression "fly on the wall" because if a fly settles on your wall at home, you do not normally notice it.

We use many animal idioms in English. Here are a selection of those involving both larger and smaller animals. How many of these do you know?

Larger mammals

Idiom	Example	Definition
a bull / bear market	The bull market of the Eighties and Nineties is unlikely to return for some time.	situation where price of shares on the stock market are rising (bear market: prices falling)
take the bull by the horns	I decided to take the bull by the horns and tell him he was upsetting Jane.	face up to problem instead of avoiding
do the donkey work	If you tell him to take it easy, he'll sit back and let you do all the donkey work.	manual labour or jobs that are routine or least important
flog a dead horse	Invest in shares and the chances are you'll be flogging a dead horse.	waste time on something unlikely to be successful (flog = whip)
the lion's share	The lion's share of her money - over 80% - went to her nephews and nieces.	the majority
a stag night	I'm having my stag night on the same day as my Sue is having her hen night.	a social/drinking evening for groom's male friends prior to wedding (hen night = social/drinking evening for bride's female friends)
could eat a horse	I skipped breakfast so now I could eat a horse.	be very hungry

"I could eat a horse."

quiz

1 The ________ of the Eighties and Nineties is unlikely to return for some time.

	lion's share
	bull market
	stag night
	donkey work

2 I decided to ________ and tell him he was upsetting Jane.

	take the bull by the horns
	flog a dead horse
	do the donkey work
	could eat a horse

3 If you tell him to take it easy, he'll sit back and let you ________.

	take the bull by the horns
	do the donkey work
	flog a dead horse
	bull market

4 Invest in shares and the chances are you'll ________.

	take the bull by the horns
	flog a dead horse
	do the donkey work
	bull market

5 The ________ of her money - over 80% - went to her nephews and nieces.

	lion's share
	flog a dead horse
	do the donkey work
	bull market

6 I'm having my ________ on the same day as my Sue is having her hen night.

	lion's share
	flog a dead horse
	stag night
	bull market

7 I skipped breakfast so now I ________.

	lion's share
	flog a dead horse
	stag night
	could eat a horse

Smaller mammals

Idiom	Example	Definition
keep the wolf from the door	If you can't get a better job, you won't be able to keep the wolf from the door.	earn enough to buy food and other essentials
dog tired	He was dog tired - out on call all night and then took surgery in the morning.	very tired
let sleeping dogs lie	She doesn't need to know he's been unfaithful. Let sleeping dogs lie.	not interfere; not mention something that could cause trouble
dog days	I sleep in the basement during the dog days of August.	very hot days
let the cat out of the bag	He couldn't keep it secret, let the cat out of the bag and told her everything.	reveal a secret
cat nap	I like to cat nap for half an hour after lunch.	A short sleep
raining cats and dogs	I forgot my umbrella, and it was raining cats and dogs.	raining heavily
smell a rat	They intended to trick him but they were always larking about and he smelt a rat.	sense that something is wrong (lark about: behave in playful, childish way)

quiz

1 Which idiom means "earn enough to buy food and other essentials"?

	dog tired
	keep the wolf from the door
	let sleeping dogs lie
	dog days

2 Which idiom means "very tired"?

	dog tired
	let the cat out of the bag
	cat nap
	raining cats and dogs

3 Which idiom means "not interfere; not mention something that could cause trouble"?

	smell a rat
	cat nap
	let sleeping dogs lie
	keep the wolf from the door

4 Which idiom means "reveal a secret"?

	let the cat out of the bag
	dog days
	smell a rat
	keep the wolf from the door

5 Which idiom means "raining heavily"?

	cat nap
	raining cats and dogs
	dog tired
	let sleeping dogs lie

6 Which idiom means "sense that something is wrong"?

	smell a rat
	let the cat out of the bag
	dog days
	cat nap

Birds and fish

Idiom	Example	Definition
a wild goose chase	I didn't know her flight number so trying to find Amy at Heathrow was a bit of a wild goose chase.	a search that has no chance of success
up with the lark	We'll have to be up with the lark tomorrow - the flight leaves at seven thirty.	awake early
chicken out	They are short of funds so I think they're going to chicken out of this project.	stop participating in something which is too dangerous or difficult.
up with the birds	I'll have to be up with the birds tomorrow - the train leaves at seven thirty.	wake up early
a fish out of water	I didn't know anyone at the reception so felt like a fish out of water.	uncomfortable
a cold fish	He showed no emotion at this aunt's funeral - he's a cold sort of a cold fish.	unemotional
have other fish to fry	They wanted me to join them on this project but I told them I had other fish to fry.	have other things to do or more important matters to attend to.

quiz

1 What does the idiom "a wild goose chase" mean?

	a search for wild geese
	a search that has no chance of success
	a search for something valuable
	a search that is very easy

2 What does the idiom "up with the lark" mean?

	to be with a bird
	awake early
	to be very active
	to be very lazy

3 What does the idiom "chicken out" mean?

	to eat chicken
	stop participating in something which is too dangerous or difficult
	to be very brave
	to be very foolish

4 What does the idiom "a fish out of water" mean?

	a fish that is outside water
	uncomfortable
	a fish that is very special
	a fish that is very common

5 What does the idiom "a cold fish" mean?

	a fish that is frozen
	unemotional
	a fish that is very tasty
	a fish that is very rare

6 What does the idiom "have other fish to fry" mean?

	to cook multiple fish
	have other things to do or more important matters to attend to
	to be very busy with one task
	to be very relaxed

Insects

Idiom	Example	Definition
a fly in the ointment	It will be an exciting trip. The only fly in the ointment is that Sue can't drive.	a difficulty which prevents total enjoyment
not hurt a fly	He has an awful temper but he wouldn't hurt a fly.	gentle
no flies on someone	There are no flies on Jacob - he is fully aware of all aspects of the operation.	said of someone who is alert and clever, not easy to deceive
a busy bee	She's a busy bee all right - if there's a job to do, she just has to get on with it.	very busy person
have a bee in your bonnet	She's got a bee in her bonnet about eating raw fish to stay fit and healthy.	be obsessed with something (bonnet = hat)
the bee's knees	With her first class honours degree and job with the UN, she thinks she's the bee' knees.	someone who is very clever and important

quiz

1 The trip will be amazing, but there's just one ________ that Sue can't drive.

	difficulty in the journey
	fly in the ointment
	bee in the bonnet
	bee's knees

2 Even though he gets angry easily, he wouldn't ________.

	hurt a bee
	hurt a fly
	be a busy bee
	have a bee in his bonnet

3 Jacob is very sharp. There are ________.

	bees in his bonnet
	flies in his ointment
	no flies on him
	none of the bees' knees

4 She's always working on something. She's such a ________.

	busy bee
	fly in the ointment
	bee in her bonnet
	bee's knees

5 She can't stop talking about the health benefits of raw fish. She's got a ________ about it.

	fly in her ointment
	bee in her bonnet
	busy bee
	bee's knees

6 With her impressive credentials, she believes she's the ________.

	fly in the ointment
	bee in her bonnet
	busy bee
	bee's knees

See also

English grammar

Resources

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish