Animals- IDIOMS

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Ants in one's pants   - very restless or excited about something - gelisah

Make an ass of yourself  - behave so stupidly / appear ridiculous, - bertindak bodoh

Like a bat out of hell - moves very quickly.  

Like a bear with a sore head  -   very irritable and bad- tempered.

Break the back of the beast  -succeed in overcoming a major difficulty.

Have a bee in one's bonnet   - has an idea which constantly occupies thoughts.

The bee's knees  - think they are exceptionally good.

Eager beaver   -hardworking and enthusiastic, sometimes considered overzealous.

Birds of a feather  - people who  are very similar in many ways.  For the birds  - consider it to be uninteresting, useless, or not to be taken seriously.Kill two birds with one stone-  succeed in doing two things at the same time. – Sambil menyelam minum air

Bitten by the bug   - develop a sudden interest or enthusiasm for something, Snug as a bug in a rug. - a humorous way of saying that you are warm and comfortable.

A social butterfly   - has a lot of friends and acquaintances

Like a red flag to a bull   - to make someone very angry or upset.Take the bull by the horns   - to act decisively when dealing a difficult situation

Face like a bulldog chewing a wasp  -   very unattractive face/ expression

A cat in gloves catches no mice -  Unsuccessful because too careful and polite A cat can look at a king. - nobody is so important that an ordinary person cannot look at or be curious about them.   A fat cat   - disapprove of the way the rich use his money or power.

Like herding cats   -the difficulty of coordinating a situation of various people.Let the cat out of the bag - reveal a secret

Like a cat on hot bricks   - very nervous or restless.Like a scalded cat  - move very fast because they are frightened or shocked.

Like the cat that ate the canary  -   self-satisfied or pleased an achievementLike something the cat dragged in  - look dirty, untidy.

Like cat and dog Fight/argue like cat and dog Cat-and-dog life - fight frequently Wait for the cat to jump - delay taking action to see how events will turn out.

Cat's whiskers (also: the cat's pyjamas) - considers oneself better than others  Raining cats and dogs  - raining very heavily.Play cat and mouse  - treat others alternately cruelly and kindly.

Chicken feed - small amount of money or unimportant

Chicken out of something  - not doing because you are afraid. Like a headless chicken - act in a disorderly way, without thinking.No spring chicken  - quite old or well past their youth.

Wave a dead chicken – futile effort chickens come home to roost - embarrassing acts that causing problems.

A cash cow  - regular source of income. Till the cows come home  - they could do it for a long time.

Why buy a cow when you can  get milk for free? - to not paying for something that you can obtain for

free.

Crocodile tears - false tears or show insincere grief. (air mata palsu)

Eat crow - admit and apologize that you were wrong.As the crow flies  - to distance measured in a straight line.

Like a deer/rabbit caught in the headlights - so surprised and confused and unable to react quickly

Dead as a dodo  - obsolete, or has gone out of fashion. (The dodo bird is now extinct.)

Dog's breakfast - a complete mess. Dog's life  - complaining about unpleasant situation/job. Dog eat dog - intense competition and rivalry without moral concern. Dog in the manger - stops others enjoying something he cannot use. Dog and pony show – stylish event/ presentation without much content.   Crooked as a dog's hind leg – dishonest.

Every dog has its day - everyone can be successful at something Hair of the dog that bit you - use as a remedy a small amount of what made you ill. Give a dog a bad name - lose reputation Help a lame dog over stile  - help someone who is in difficulty or trouble.Like a dog with two tails. - extremely happy.

(as) quick as a dog can lick a dish - do something surprisingly fast, The tail wagging the dog - a reversal of roles Old  dog for a hard road - experience is invaluable   Small dog, tall weeds – incapable or does not have the resources.

  (You can't) teach an old dog new tricks. - difficult to change their habits. Why keep a dog and bark yourself? - there's no reason to do thing yourself. Go to the dogs  - becoming less successful or efficient than before. Let the sleeping dogs lie - not to interfere with a situation that cause problems. Love me, love my dog - must love everything about you.My dogs are barking -  their feet are hurting.

Donkey work - unpleasant, boring parts of   a job.Talk the hind leg off a donkey - a very talkative person.

Take to something like a duck to water - do it naturally, without fear or hesitation. A dead duck – an abandoned project or is certain to fail.A lame duck  - difficult and unable to manage

A sitting duck - is an easy target Get your ducks in a row - well organized.Like water off a duck's back  - criticism or advice without effect at all. (Mencurah air ke daun keladi)

Eagle eyes - notices things more easily

Elephant in the room - problem that no one wants to discuss, but cannot be ignored

Fish in troubled waters - to gain advantages from a disturbed state of affairs.Fish out of water – uncomfortable  because of an unfamiliar situation

Big fish in a small pond  - an important person in a small group A different kettle of fish - different from what was previously mentioned.Drink like a fish – drinks a lot.

Have other fish to fry - has more important things to do.There are (plenty of) other fish in the sea - there are many other people just as good as the one somebody failed to get.Neither fish nor fowl  - difficult to classify Sounds or smells fishy - suspicious about it.

Happy as a flea in a doghouse  -  happy and contented.Flea in one's ear - angrily reprimanded or humiliated.

Drop like flies - fall ill or die in large numbers.

Fly in the ointment  -prevents from being completely satisfactory.

Fly on the wall - watches a situation without being noticed.

Juggle frogs - deal with many different tasks at the same time

Have a frog in one's throat –

difficulty in speaking clearly because - a cough or a sore throat.

Take/have a gander - look at something new. All his geese are swans - exaggerates the importanceCook somebody's goose – to spoil that person's chance of success.Have goose pimples – so cold or so afraid A wild goose chase – useless chase

Knee-high to a grasshopper  - a very young and small child Guinea pig  - new methods, treatment or ideas are tested. (bahan ujikaji)

Run with the hare and hunt with the hounds - stay on friendly terms with both sides in a quarrel

Eyes like a hawk - got good eyesight and notice every detail.Watch someone like a hawk - watch them very carefully.

Go the whole hog - do something thoroughly or completely.Live high off the hog - has a lot of money and a very comfortable lifestyle.

Stir up a hornet's nest  - provokes criticism and anger.

Horse of a different colour - differently from others. Horse sense - a practical thinker able to make sensible decisions.Back or bet on the wrong horse  - support the wrong person. Beat (or flog) a dead horse - wasting time and effort for the impossible.  Get on your high horse  - haughty manner,

I could eat a horse! - very hungry.   One-horse town - a small, boring town Straight from the horse's mouth – hear directly from a person/ the source

Hold your horses - too fast and should slow down and not rush into further action.Horses for courses - to match people with suitable jobs or tasks.

Lion's share - the largest portion, or the best part.Beard the lion in his den - challenge him/her or obtain something at his workplace.Walk into the lion's den – in difficult situation with unfriendly or aggressive people.

Monkey business  - a deceitful or dishonest activity. More fun than a barrel of monkeys -very amusing or enjoyable Make a monkey (out) of someone - humiliate someone by making them appear foolish

Like a moth to a flame - a person is attracted to someone or something

Mouse potato - a person who spends a lot of time in front of the computer. (as) quiet as a mouse  - make no noise

As stubborn as a mule -very obstinate and unwilling to listen/ change their mind.Mutton dressed as lamb - a middle-aged/older woman trying to look younger

Ostrich strategy/politics - ignoring the problem hoping it will resolve itself.

Night owl - active at night and goes to bed very late The world is your oyster - free and enjoy the pleasures/opportunities.  

Proud as a peacock - extremely proud.

Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered – be satisfied, not too greedy. Pigs might fly (also: when pigs have wings) - miracles might happen but unlikely.(like putting) lipstick on a pig - trying to 'dress up' something unappealing / uglyMake a pig of yourself - eat and drink too much.

Make a pig's ear (of something) – do task or a chore very badly

On the pig's back - in a state of luck

Stool pigeon  - acts as an informer Shank's pony  - have to walk rather than travel by bus, car, etc.

Play possum (opossum) - pretend to be dead/asleep to avoid something unpleasant.

Smell a rat - suspect that something is wrong, dishonest or incorrect.  

Packed like sardines - pressed together tightly because there is not enough space.Loan shark – an unauthorised money lender at high interest rates (along)

Black sheep - one who is very different from the other family members, and least respected by.

Snail mail - standard system of mail delivery, or postal service,Snail's pace - moves very slowly.

A snake in the grass - pretends to be your friend while actually betraying you.

Paper tiger – less powerful person/organisation/ country than their appearance.Cold turkey - to immediately and completely stop Like turkeys voting for Christmas – option not to be chosen

Have a whale of a time - enjoy oneself very much.Like kicking dead whales down the beach. - slow and difficult process. Face like a bulldog chewing a wasp - very unattractive appearance

A wolf in sheep's clothing – dangerous person who looks harmless Cry wolf – call for help when you are not really in danger.  Keep the wolf from the door - have enough money to buy food and other essentials.

Even a worm will turn – never complains Worm one's way into/out of something - use artful or devious means in order to participate or avoid participating in something.Worm's-eye view - give opinion based on close range view.

Animals- IDIOMS

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