Idioms are that quirky little phrases which makes no sense to the person who don’t know the actual meaning behind it. But if you know the real meaning of the idioms they can add unique colors and humor to your daily conversations. Today we get to know some of these animal idioms that features furry, feathery and scaly friends from our animal kingdom.
There are hundreds of Funny Idioms related to animals. They are used to describe a person or situation in a way that everyone can understand. Animal related idioms are found in many languages, which tells us that they are used widely to make the conversations more meaningful, expressive and colorful.
We have created beautiful images that bring these idioms to life in a delightful way. These images of animal idioms transform classic idiomatic expressions into playful scenes, which makes them a perfect graphic for sharing on social media or sending them to your friends.
8 Animal Idioms And Their Examples
- Kill Two Birds With One Stone
- Cry Wolf
- In The Doghouse
- A Wild Goose Chase
- A Bull in a China Shop
- Rat Race
- Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
- Have a Bee in Your Bonnet
1. Kill Two Birds With One Stone
Meaning: To accomplish two things with a single action.
Kill Two Birds with One Stone refers to the act of hunting birds, where a skilled shooter can take down two birds with a single shot. It means completing two goals or tasks with a single effort. The reference to birds reinforces the idea of efficiency, as hunters aim to maximize their yield with minimal expenditure of resources.
Example: By taking evening classes, she could kill two birds with one stone – earn a degree and keep her day job.
2. Cry Wolf
Meaning: To raise a false alarm or make misleading claims.
Cry Wolf comes from the famous Aesop’s fable (moral stories) about a young shepherd who repeatedly tricks nearby villagers by falsely claiming a wolf is attacking his flock. When an actual wolf does arrive, no one believes his cries for help. Cry Wolf idiom warns against raising false alarms or lying, as it can lead to people distrusting you, like the villagers did with the boy who cried wolf.
Example: The boy cried wolf so many times that no one believed him when he was telling the truth.
3. In the Doghouse
Meaning: To be in trouble or out of favor with someone.
Being “In the Doghouse” means you have fallen out of favor with someone, usually a spouse or partner. It means you are being ignored or shut out, like a dog that did something bad and has to stay outside in its small house instead of being allowed inside.
Example: After forgetting their anniversary, he found himself in the doghouse with his wife.
4. A Wild Goose Chase
Meaning: A futile pursuit or search for something unattainable.
A Wild Goose Chase refers to the ancient activity of chasing after wild geese to try to catch them, which was a pointless task that had no chance of success. It means engaging in a pursuit or search that is ultimately useless or unattainable, much like the hopeless task of chasing wild geese.
Example: The investigation turned out to be a wild goose chase, leading nowhere.
5. A Bull in China Shop
Meaning: A clumsy or careless person in a delicate situation.
A Bull in a China Shop makes you imagine a big, strong bull causing a mess by crashing through a shop that sells delicate things made of china (combination of clay, kaolin, feldspar, and quartz) or glass. A Bull in a China Shop describes someone who is clumsy, careless or insensitive in a situation that requires care and composure.
Example: He was like a bull in a china shop, knocking over vases while trying to help.
6. Rat Race
Meaning: An endless, self-perpetuating cycle of competition and stress.
The ‘Rat Race‘ means the never-stopping hard work and competing with others to get ahead at your job and make more money. It is like rats running on a wheel or through a maze without thinking just doing the same work over and over.
Example: After years in the corporate rat race, she decided to start her own business.
7. Let Sleeping Dog’s Lie
Meaning: To avoid reviving or provoking a resolved or forgotten issue.
Let Sleeping Dog’s Lie means to warn against reviving or provoking a resolved or forgotten issue or conflict. Let sleeping dogs lie means it is better to leave some problems alone instead of bringing them up again which could make things worse just like you would not want to wake up a sleeping dog and make it angry.
Example: It’s best to let sleeping dogs lie and not bring up the old argument again.
8. Have a Bee in Your Bonnet
Meaning: To be preoccupied or obsessed with an idea or plan, often in a unusual or eccentric way.
A Bee in Your Bonnet means being preoccupied or obsessed with a particular idea or plan, often in an eccentric or fanciful way. It makes you picture a bee stuck in your hat buzzing in your head over and over like when you cannot stop thinking about something
Example: Sarah has had a bee in her bonnet about starting a small organic farm ever since she took that sustainable agriculture course. She can’t stop talking about it.
Animal Idioms With Pictures
These animal idioms images perfectly capture the meanings behind common idioms. Just by looking at the pictures, you can easily guess which idiom is being depicted. With these clear and on-point visuals, understanding the real meanings of animal-related idioms becomes easy. The images bring life into these colorful phrases in an insightful way.
2. Busy as a Bee
3. Butterflies In Your Stomach
5. All Bark and No Bite
6. Raining Cat’s and Dog’s
7. A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
8. Snake in the Grass
Enjoying these idioms? We have a whole idioms collection for you to explore! Our massive idioms library is categorized into various themes, so you can find the perfect expression – whether it’s a side-splitting funny saying or a wise proverb.
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