By, Pam Teel
Yes, there are many common phrases that we use all the time relating to animals, but did you ever wonder what these phrases really mean?
Bird phrases:
Birds of a Feather Flock Together- People tend to associate with others who share similar interests or values.
Love Birds- A pair of people who love each other; they are like small parrots that are called ‘lovebirds.’
Sitting Ducks- Someone or something that is in a vulnerable position; being in danger.
The Early Bird Gets the Worm- Arriving first or early can be advantageous and increase one’s chances of success.
Ugly Duckling- Someone who seems plain at first in appearance or capability, but later turn out to be quite spectacular. Kill two birds with one stone- To succeed in achieving two things in a single action
Dog, Cat Sayings:
All Bark and No Bite- Being full of talk, but with little or no action behind it.
Barking Up the Wrong Tree- To make a wrong assumption about someone.
Curiosity Killed the Cat- Typically said to people who are being too nosy, as their prying behavior may lead to harm.
Raining Cats and Dogs- A saying that’s used to describe heavy rainfall.
Scaredy Cat- Being afraid of doing something; terrified.
You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks- It can be challenging to teach a person something new, especially if they are set in doing things a certain way.
Horse Sayings:
No use beating a Dead Horse- To bring up an issue that has already been resolved or that has already been talked about at length.
Don’t Look a Gift Horse In The Mouth- When you receive a gift from someone, do not be ungrateful.
Hold Your Horses- To tell someone to wait, or to stop. (e.g., I’m not ready to leave yet, hold your horses.)
Long in the Tooth- Old in age. Mainly used when referring to people or animals, but it can also be used when refer- ring to objects.
Other Animals :
An Elephant Never Forgets- A person who has a good memory.
Crocodile Tears- This means someone is expressing sorrow in an insincere way.
Cry Wolf- This refers to someone who is lying.
Elephant In The Room- Ignoring a large, obvious problem or failing to address an issue that stands out in a major way.
Fish Out Of Water- A person who’s in a situation that they are unfamiliar with.
Give a Man a Fish- It can be more beneficial to teach someone a useful skill (like fishing) than filling a need for them once.
Happy as a Clam- The state of being happy; feeling delighted.
I Smell a Rat-A suspicious feeling that something is not quite right; awry.
Like Shooting Fish in a Barrel-Something that is easy to do; an action that’s simple to accomplish.
Playing Possum- Pretending to be dead or to be deceitful about something.
The Straw that Broke the Camel’s Back- A series of annoying occurrences that eventually lead to one final thing that causes a person to lose their patience.
Take the bull by the horns- Take control of a situation. Bringing Home the Bacon- Making money to survive on. We’re Nothing but Guinea Pigs- Being experimented with.