Animal Idioms

noun the flesh of a young sheep used as food

• The chef prepared a delicious roast lamb for the dinner party.
• I'm craving some lamb chops for dinner tonight.
• Let's grab some lamb kebabs from that food truck.
• She was like a lost lamb in the big city, unsure of where to go.

noun a domesticated mammal with a stout body, short legs, and a snout used for digging

verb none

adjective none

adverb none

pronoun none

preposition none

conjunction none

interjection none

article none

• The farmer raised a pig on his farm for several months before selling it at market.
• I can't believe how big that pig is getting, it's huge!
• I heard Tommy's new car is a real pig, always breaking down.
• She's such a pig when it comes to eating, she can finish a whole pizza by herself.

noun a person, place, thing, or idea

adjective a word that describes a noun or pronoun

adverb a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence

article a word that is used to limit or define a noun

• After completing his rehabilitation program, the athlete was as fit as a butcher’s dog.
• I've been hitting the gym every day, I feel as fit as a butcher’s dog!
• Dude, I've been training like crazy, I'm as fit as a butcher’s dog now!
• Despite his age, he was as fit as a butcher’s dog and could outperform many younger athletes.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

pronoun a word that can function by itself as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse (e.g. I, you) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse (e.g. she, it, this)

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

article a word that is used to specify a noun as definite or indefinite

• She walked into the meeting room with a triumphant expression, like the cat that ate the canary.
• He strutted down the street, looking smug like the cat that ate the canary.
• She had a huge grin on her face, feeling all cool like the cat that ate the canary.
• After acing the exam, he felt on top of the world, like the cat that ate the canary.

noun a word that functions as the name of a specific person, place, thing, or idea

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

adverb a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

conjunction a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses

article a word that is used to specify a noun as definite or indefinite

• He was as sly as a fox in his approach to negotiating business deals.
• She's as cunning as a fox when it comes to getting what she wants.
• That guy is slicker than a fox, always finding a way out of trouble.
• Her mind worked as slyly as a fox, always thinking one step ahead.

noun a word that is the name of a person, place, thing, or idea; in this case, 'bat' is a noun referring to a flying mammal

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun; in this case, 'blind' is an adjective describing the bat's inability to see

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence; in this case, 'as' is a preposition indicating the comparison between the blindness of the person and a bat

• The patient's vision was as blind as a bat due to the advanced stage of retinal degeneration.
• I can't find my keys in this dark room, I'm as blind as a bat!
• She's as blind as a bat without her glasses on.
• His lack of awareness about the situation made him as blind as a bat.

noun a word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

• Managing a large project with multiple stakeholders can feel like herding cats.
• Trying to get everyone to agree on a restaurant for dinner is like herding cats.
• Organizing a group of teenagers is like herding cats.
• Getting my family ready for a vacation is always like herding cats.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun

adverb a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

conjunction a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses

article a word that specifies a noun as definite or indefinite

• She was as mad as a wet hen when she found out about the mistake.
• My mom was mad as a wet hen when she saw the mess we made in the kitchen.
• She was as mad as a wet hen when she caught her boyfriend cheating on her.
• The teacher was mad as a wet hen when the students kept talking during the lesson.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

interjection a word or phrase that expresses a sudden or strong feeling or emotion

• The phrase 'à bon chat, bon rat' is often used in French literature to describe a situation where both parties are evenly matched.
• When it comes to negotiations, it's always 'à bon chat, bon rat' with those two - neither one is willing to back down.
• In a game of wits, it's always 'à bon chat, bon rat' - no one can outsmart the other.
• Their relationship can be described as 'à bon chat, bon rat' - they are constantly trying to outsmart each other.