Similes Flashcards
fit and in good health
as fit as a fiddle
very quickly
as quick as a flash
very easy
as easy as pie
very hard and uncomfortable
as hard as nails
very bright/intelligent (usually for young persons)
as bright as a button
looking very ill or very frightened
as white as a sheet
very silly
as daft as a brush
very calm and controlled
as cool as a cucumber
very thin
as thin as a rake
splinternieuw
as good as new
be able to understand easily what sb is thinking or feeling
to read sb like a book
to work very well
to work like a dream
to be likely to make sb very angry
to be like a red rag to a bull
als een lopend vuurtje verspreiden
to spread like wildfire
be frustrating becasue you are making no progress in what you are trying to do
to be like banging your head against a brick wall
to be careless in the way you move or insensitive in your behaviour
to be like a bull in a china shop
iemand met haviksogen bekijken
to watch sb like a hawk
to be almost impossible to obtain
to be like getting blood out of a stone
een naald in een hooiberg
to be like looking for a needle in a haystack
to be the perfect shape or size for sb
to fit sb like a glove
not of great quality, but enjoyable and good value
cheap and cheerful
gepokt en gemazeld (voorwerpen)
wear and tear
a person’s main source of income
bread and butter
honestly and surely
fair and square
a feeling that a situation is very bad and without hope
doom and gloom
geboren en getogen
born and bred
spend money only on what is absolutely necessary
to scrimp and save
very careful about your appearance and behaviour, and easily shocked by what other people do or say
prim and proper
to be an aspect of sth that has to be accepted
to be part and parcel of sth
a person or thing that gives sb great pleasure or satisfaction
sb’s pride and joy
unpredictable
hit and miss
small things of no great value
bits and pieces, bits and bobs, odds and ends
verdeel en heers
divide and rule
quickly or by a large amount (progress)
by leaps and bounds
not long or complicated
short and sweet
al bij al
all in all, all things considered
door en door
through and through
wie niet waagt niet wint
nothing ventured, nothing gained
wie zonder zonde is werpe de eerste steen
people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones
people cannot change their character
a leopard cannot change its spots
if too many people are involved in sth, it won’t be done well
too many cooks spoil the broth
het ijzer smeden als het heet is
strike while the iron’s hot
you can’t make people change their ideas, ways of working.. when they’ve had them a long time
you can’t change an old dog new tricks
you can’t achieve sth important without a few problems or unpleasant effects
you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs
het is nu of nooit
there’s no time like the present
vele handen maken licht werk
many hands make light work
you should help sb who has helped you
one good turn deserves another
in a foreign country/unfamiliar situation, do as other people do
When in Rome (do as the Romans do)
beter één vogel in de hand…
a bird in the hand (is worth two in the bush)
people in a romantic relationship don’t want a third person with them
two’s company (three’s a crowd)
someone you don’t like but know may be better than sb you don’t know who might be worse
better the devil you know (than the devil you don’t)
oog om oog, tand om tand
an eye for an eye (and a tooth for a tooth)
het vel van de beer niet schieten voor hij geschoten is
don’t count your chickens (before they’re hatched)
het gras is altijd groener aan de overkant
the grass is always greener (on the other side of the fence)
(de geest is sterk) maar het vlees is zwak
the spirit’s willing (but the flesh is weak)
soort trekt soort aan
birds of a feather (flock together)
