List of common English expressions containing animals

1. Animals
in English Expressions
José A. Alcalde
How conscious are we when using animal names in English expressions? Here is a curious document
listing some examples. (*) is added to those expressions which may be pejorative, informal or even rude. First,
they are presented and later a brief explanation in English is included in another table.
CREDIT: Most of the idioms were taken from and checked at idioms.thefreedictionary.com and http://www.learn-english-
today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/animals.html
P
E
T
A
N
I
M
A
L
S
- A cat nap
- To copycat
- When the cat is away the mice will play
- To rain cats and dogs
- To let the cat out of the bag
- A fat cat*
- Like a cat on hot bricks / a tin roof
- Like cat and dog
- To put a cat among the pigeons
- Cat's whiskers
- Dog eat dog
- A dog's life
- Dog days
- Dog's breakfast / dinner
- Every dog has it day
- To go to the dogs
- Let sleeping dogs lie
- Like a dog with two tails
- You can't teach an old dog new tricks
- Top dog
- Love me, love my dog
- Sick like a dog
- A dog and ponny show
- A shaggy dog story
- To be in the dog's house
- A doggie bag
- Puppie love
F
A
R
M
- Hold your horses
- To horse around
- Straight from the horse's mouth
- Horse sense
- To put the cart before the horse
- Dark horse = Cold fish
- Someone could eat a horse
- Don't chicken out!
- Chicken run
- Chicken feed
- Chicken scratch
- Chic lit*
- Chic pic*
- A hen party
- A nest egg

2. A
N
I
M
A
L
S
- To have a cow
- Until the cows come home
- Holy cow!*
- Make an ass of one's self*
- Jackass*
- Donkey work
- For donkey's years
- Like a bull in a china shop
- The bull's eye
- Bullshit*
- Dead duck
- Lame duck
- Sitting duck
- Like water off the duck's back
- To have goose pimples / skin
- A wild goose chase
- Cold turkey
- To talk turkey
- The black sheep
- To pig out
- Strong like an ox
W
I
L
D
- A white elephant
- To see pink elephants
- Elephant in the room
- Monkey see, monkey do
- Monkey business
- Not to give a monkey's
- Grease monkey
- Bird brain*
- Early bird
- The birds and the bees*
- To kill to birds with a stone
- For the birds
- Night owl*
- To eat crow
- Eagle eyes
- There is plenty of fish in the sea
- This is fishy
- To fish in troubled waters
- Fish out of water
- To drink like a fish
- Neither fish nor fowl
- Other fish to fry
- Shark teeth*
- To make a beeline
- Busy bee
- To have a bee in your bonnet

3. A
N
I
M
A
L
S
- To drop like flies
- Fly on the wall
- A bar fly*
- Leapfrog
- Eat the frog!
- To juggle frogs
- Blind as a bat
- Bat out of hell
- Bats in the belfry = Rats in the attic
- Rat race
- To smell a rat
- Snake in the grass
- Snake oil
- A camel's nose
- The last straw that broke the camel's back
- Bitten by the bug
- A bookworm*
- Ants in one's pants
- A social butterfly
- To clam up
- Mouse potato*
- A leopard cannot change its spot
- Cunning as a fox
- A lone wolf
- A zebra crossing
- Kangaroo court
- Eager beaver
- Like a bear with a soar head
- The lion's share
- A paper tiger
- A stag party

4. KEY
P
E
T
A
N
I
M
A
L
S
- A cat nap (a short nap)
- To copycat (to imitate)
- When the cat is away the mice will play (situation where there is no surveillance)
- To rain cats and dogs (heavy rain)
- To let the cat out of the bag (to reveal something)
- A fat cat* (disapproving description of a rich and powerful person)
- Like a cat on hot bricks / a tin roof (really nervous)
- Like cat and dog (a very bad relationship)
- To put a cat among the pigeons (to cause trouble for sure)
- Cat's whiskers (something excellent)
- Dog eat dog (destructive, ruthless competition)
- A dog's life (a hard life)
- Dog days (very hot days)
- Dog's breakfast / dinner (something really messy)
- Every dog has it day (everybody can be good at something)
- To go to the dogs (to become worse and less efficient)
- Let sleeping dogs lie (not to interfere so as not to make things worse)
- Like a dog with two tails (extremely happy)
- You can't teach an old dog new tricks (old habits die hard)
- Top dog (better or more powerful)
- Love me, love my dog (others have to accept all about one's self)
- Sick like a dog (to vomit violently)
- A dog and ponny show (very flashy event to get attention but with little content)
- A shaggy dog story (long story with a silly end)
- To be in the dog's house (in trouble)
- A doggie bag (bag provided by restaurants to take home leftovers)
- Puppie love (relationship between very young people)
F
A
R
M
A
N
I
M
A
- Hold your horses (be patient)
- To horse around (to play roughly and carelessly)
- Straight from the horse's mouth (from a direct and reliable source)
- Horse sense (practical and smart intelligence)
- To put the cart before the horse (in the wrong way)
- Dark horse = Cold fish (secretive person)
- Someone could eat a horse (really hungry)
- Don't chicken out! (to be brave)
- Chicken run (doing something late and with no order)
- Chicken feed (small amount, especially money)
- Chicken scratch (very bad handwriting)
- Chic lit* (books for women)
- Chic pic* (movie for women)
- A hen party (party for the bride before she gets married)
- A nest egg (savings for the future)
- To have a cow (to get mad)
- Until the cows come home (for a very long time)
- Holy cow!* (expression for surprise, excitement, anger...)
- Make an ass of one's self* (to behave stupidly)
- Jackass* (insult for silly)
- Donkey work (boring, unpleasant job)
- For donkey's years (for a long time)
- Like a bull in a china shop (very clumsily)
- The bull's eye (the center of a target)
- Bullshit* (stupid things)

5. L
S
- Dead duck (most probably unsuccessful or with no future)
- Lame duck (something or someone in real need for something)
- Sitting duck (easy target)
- Like water off the duck's back (without any effect)
- To have goose pimples / skin (when our skin raises because of cold, fear...)
- A wild goose chase (unsuccessful try)
- Cold turkey (not gradually but suddenly)
- To talk turkey (openly and frankly)
- The black sheep (someone different in a group, family...)
- To pig out (to eat a lot)
- Strong like an ox (very strong)
W
I
L
D
- A white elephant (something expensive and useless)
- To see pink elephants (to hallucinate)
- Elephant in the room (very noticeable problem nobody wants to deal with)
- Monkey see, monkey do (to imitate)
- Monkey business (dishonest business)
- Not to give a monkey's (not to care too much)
- Grease monkey (mechanic)
- Bird brain* (not very intelligent)
- Early bird (someone who arises early in the morning)
- The birds and the bees* (the first lessons for kids about sex)
- To kill to birds with a stone (doing more for less)
- For the birds (not interesting)
- Night owl* (person who is more active late at night)
- To eat crow (to admit and apologise for something wrong)
- Eagle eyes (extremely good sight)
- There is plenty of fish in the sea (there are more possible partners for a relationship)
- This is fishy (suspicious)
- To fish in troubled waters (to gain advantage from a difficult situation)
- Fish out of water (in unfamiliar or unknown surrounding)
- To drink like a fish (heavy drinker)
- Neither fish nor fowl (hard to classify)
- Other fish to fry (more important things to do)
- Shark teeth* (someone with very bad teeth appearance)
- To make a beeline (to go directly)
- Busy bee (really active person)
- To have a bee in your bonnet (to become obsessed about something)
- To drop like flies (in great numbers)
- Fly on the wall (to eavesdrop conversations)
- A bar fly* (someone who spends a lot of time in bars)
- Leapfrog (a substantial improvement with regards to other competitors)
- Eat the frog! (to do the most unpleasant thing first)
- To juggle frogs (to deal with a difficult situation)
- Blind as a bat (someone who can't see very well)
- Bat out of hell (very quickly)
- Bats in the belfry = Rats in the attic (someone a bit mad or whose behaviour is a bit
excentric)

6. A
N
I
M
A
L
S
- Rat race (competitive, hard lifestyle)
- To smell a rat (to become suspicious)
- Snake in the grass (someone who pretends to be your friend but is no good for you)
- Snake oil (of no use)
- A camel's nose (a small decission that will lead to big problems)
- The last straw that broke the camel's back (the last thing that made the situation unbearable)
- Bitten by the bug (to become suddenly interested)
- A bookworm* (a person who loves books and reading)
- Ants in one's pants (when someone is really nervous)
- A social butterfly (a really sociable person involved in a lot of social events)
- To clam up (to become silent)
- Mouse potato* (person who spends a lot of time on the computer)
- A leopard cannot change its spot (some things are the way they are and can't be otherwise)
- Cunning as a fox (really smart)
- A lone wolf (an anti-social person)
- A zebra crossing (pedestrian crosswalk)
- Kangaroo court (illegal tribunal with very little justice going on)
- Eager beaver (excited about something when at task)
- Like a bear with a soar head (to be in a bad mood)
- The lion's share (the biggest share)
- A paper tiger (less powerful or strong than it looks)
- A stag party (party for the bridegroom before he gets married)