Animals Flashcards
more "animal idioms": http://kaplaninternational.com/blog/animal-idioms-part-2/
An Alley Cat
A cat that hangs out in an alley (the small path between buildings) Usually refers to stray cats.
As poor as a Church Mouse
you don’t have much money or good food (Poor as a poor rat)
A Paper Tiger
Anyone who pretends to be tougher or more dangerous than they really are.
To make a mountain out of a Molehill
To make a small problem or issue into a much bigger one by worrying about it and panicking.
To be a Guinea Pig
To be the person trying out a new system or product (or whatever thing) for the first time.
To Cast Pearls before Swine
To give a gift to someone who does not appreciate it, or has not use for it.
(regalar/dar perlas a los cerdos)
(Swine: cerdo, puerco)
To Back the Wrong Horse
“To back” a horse means to bet that it will win the race (horse racing) If you “back the wrong horse” you’re betting on a horse that doesn’t have a good chance to win. In life, it means teaming up with someone who has no skills, or just that you’ve made the wrong decision.
(apostar por un caballo perdedor)
A Cat Gets your Tongue
If a cat has your tongue, you can’t speak. To ask someone, “has a cat got your tongue?” means you are asking them why they have nothing to say.
Grab a Tiger by the tail
You’ve got yourself involved in a difficult situation, and the only way out of it is to finish the task you’ve set out to do.
(agarrar al toro por los cuernos)
Look what the cat dragged in
something you say when somebody arrives looking dirty or as if they have been in a fight.
She’s going to have kittens when she finds out
another way of saying that someone will be very angry.
The “underdog”
The team or player that nobody expects to win
Working like a dog
To work very hard or very long hours
Kill two birds with one stone
to get two things done at once
A Stool Pigeon
someone who tells the teacher/parents/police about someone else misbehaving (also a “snitch”)
To eat like a bird
to eat very little.
