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Animal Idioms - Intermediate Level

Average: 3.8 (9 votes)
Thu, 05/20/2010 - 07:50 — Chris McCarthy

There are loads of idioms in the English language that include animals. Many of you will have heard of the famous 'it's raining cats and dogs', especially if you are studying in England! Of course it's not really raining cats and dogs, it's just raining a lot.

All you need to do is decide which animal from the list goes with which idiom.

Why don't you also post what the literal meaning of these idioms are! Enjoy!

Today's lesson is by Caroline

Practice Idioms

5 Fantastic Idioms

Learn Idioms

  • 1. My grandmother is as blind as a ___! She can't see anything!




  • 2. No, I don't have any plans today, I’m as free as a ___!




  • 3. Everything was upsetting me today, but when he said I looked fat, it was the straw that broke the ___back.




  • 4. I am young and the world is my ___!




  • 5. I'll go to a football game when ___ fly!




  • 6. My baby cousin Zoe is such a cheeky ___!




  • 7. Yes, my aunt is definitely the black ___ of the family.




  • 8. That ballerina is as graceful as a ___.








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Comments

Thu, 05/20/2010 - 11:15 — Yura

I am not Good at Seafood.

I can't believe, only one mistake!!!! Applause
Although I am not young, I think the world is my oyster. May be I am not good at seafood. Wink
Thank you for the Lesson! Smile

Thu, 05/20/2010 - 11:55 — ynastia

Animal idioms

Splendid!!!
I made one mistake with a cheeky monkey.

1) "to be blind as a bat" - to have very poor eyesight.
In Ukrainian and Russian we have the similar idiom "to be blind as a mole", "to be blind as a chicken" "to be blind as an owl".
2) "to be free as a bird" - Oh! from Beatles...
The same in Ukrainian, "as a wind" as well.
3) "the last straw that breaks the camel back" - some minor difficulty or deed that makes the situation unbearable any longer. We use "the drop that overfills the bowl of patience" (literally) Smile
4) "the world is my oyster" - Oh! I posted a question about its origin on forum. As I understood it's from Shakespeare's play "Merry Wives of Windsor". Meaning: you should take the opportunities that life offers to you, you are at the right time and at the right place. We say "all doors are open before you".
5) "when pigs fly" - never. We say "when cows fly", "when a lobster whistles on the mountain" or "after rain on Thursday". Smile
6) "cheeky monkey" was a new idiom to me. Smile I can't think of analogy...
Meaning - to be impudent and insolent.
7) "black sheep" - a member of a family, that the latter doesn't like or think that he/she brought a disgrace to them. We say somewhat like "nasty sheep".
8) "graceful as a swan" - elegant like a swan (admittedly, swan is a subtle, graceful and elegant creature). We say alike.

Thank you, Chris, for a brilliant topic and vocabulary.

Thu, 05/20/2010 - 12:15 — Chris McCarthy

Hi ynastia

"when a lobster whistles on the mountain" - I love that idiom!!

Thanks for sharing these. Very interesting!

Chris

Thu, 05/20/2010 - 15:39 — Natalysmart

Thanks a lot for interesting

Thanks a lot for interesting idioms

Fri, 05/21/2010 - 08:28 — Natalia2108

Good idioms!

Good idioms!
Many thanks for new knowledge Wink

There are the similar idioms in the every country: clumsy as a bear, swift-footed as a deer, sharp-sighted as an eagle, the boy was as the "white raven" in a class...

Thanks!

Fri, 05/21/2010 - 17:28 — kristin b

Literal meaning

I have tried to find the literal meaning to these idioms. I hope I haven't misunderstood them:
blind as a bat – not being able to see anything
free as a bird – having no obligations whatsoever, to be able to do exactly what you want
the straw that broke the camels back – the little detail that changed everything
the world is my oyster – I have all opportunities in the world
when pigs fly – when the impossible happens
to be a cheeky monkey – to be impudent
the black sheep of the family – being the bad one in a group or in the family
as graceful as a swan – to be very elegant

Great lesson, thank you! Smile

Sun, 05/23/2010 - 10:52 — cutelittlebirds

confusing

ya it's little confusing but interesting....
sandhy

Sun, 05/23/2010 - 10:54 — cutelittlebirds

confusing

ya it's little confusing but interesting....
sandhy