Idioms derived from the names of animals
February 23rd, 2011 in Expressions
Take the bull by the horns (face a difficult situation boldly)
Why don’t you take the bull by the horns and dismiss him.
A cat and dog life (If people lead a cat and dog life they are constantly quarrelling or arguing.)
Mr James and his wife lead a cat and dog life.
Let the cat out of the bag (reveal a secret by mistake)
I wanted to keep the party a secret, but my sister let the cat out of the bag.
Rain cats and dogs (rain very heavily)
Till the cows come home (for a very long time)
We can discuss this issue until the cows come home, but I don’t think it will solve the problem.
Cow someone into something (make someone do something by threatening him/her)
You can’t cow him into submission. It just doesn’t work on him.
Dog in the manger (someone who prevents another from having something which he himself doesn’t use)
He is a dog in the manger. He doesn’t have a car, but he won’t allow anyone to use his garage.
Lead a dog’s life (a dog’s life is a life full of misery)
She has been leading a dog’s life since the death of her husband.
Go to the dogs (be ruined)
His drinking problem has caused his career to go to the dogs.