Funny/ Bizarre English Idioms About Animals

1. Cold turkey

Can you imagine the damp, goose bumpy skin of a cold turkey? Makes you
shudder, doesn’t it? It has something to do with the dark meaning behind
this expression. When you abruptly quit an addiction such as drugs or
alcohol, users report feeling that awful situation that I described. Thus, the
expression cold turkey.

And you thought this list would be funny. Ugh. What a downer.

Meaning: to quit something (like an addiction) abruptly and without

fanfare.

Example: There’s no other way to go about your online dating addiction.

Just delete all the dating apps on your phone and quit cold turkey.

2. Hold your horses

When someone bellows at you to hold your horses, don’t go around,

panic-stricken, looking for a horse to hold. It simply means you need to
stay put or slow down. This phrase has been used as early as Homer’s
Iliad. There have been many usage since then, literal at first but which
later on evolved into a figurative usage.

Meaning: It’s a way of telling someone to stop or slow down.

Example: Whoa, hold your horses! I’m not paying up, the game’s far from
over!

3. The elephant in the room

There’s an elephant in the room but nobody seems to be talking about it.
Awkward, right? I mean, where would you even start?

So anyway, there’s a fable written in the early 1800s where a man went to
a museum and noticed all the tiny things but failed to see the huge
elephant in the room. The fable was called The Inquisitive Man which has
been referenced later on by famous writers such as Dostoevsky, among
others. Now the expression is being used to refer to a huge problem that
everyone refuses to talk about.

Meaning: A huge and obvious problem that everyone avoids talking about.

Example:

“Can we address the elephant in the room before this problem ends all of
our friendship?”

“Sure. But who will volunteer to tell Eric he has stinky feet?”
4. Get someone’s goat

When you get (or steal) a goat owned by somebody else, of course that
person would get mad. But the origin of this idiom is far more interesting
than that. This expression actually comes from horse-racing where goats
are used to have a calming effect on thoroughbred horses. To calm down
an easily upset horse, its owner would place a goat in its stall the night
before the race. But some opponents would cheat by stealing the goat to
agitate the horse and make it lose the race!

Sounds downright unscrupulous, right? But there’s a real life lesson to be

learned here: if someone gets your goat and you get upset, remember,
you lose!

Meaning: To upset, irritate or anger someone.

Example: “The way she corrects everything really gets my goat! Thank
you very much, Miss Know-it-all!”

5. Earworm

You’ve tried it before, I’m sure of it. You listen to a song and suddenly it’s
stuck in your mind. It seems to be playing on repeat in your head like a
pesky background music to all your thoughts. It’s like a worm in your ear
singing the song on repeat for hours, days, and even weeks! Help! You’ve
got an earworm!

Meaning: A catchy song or tune that you can’t seem to get out of your
head.

Example: “Ariana's new song has been stuck in my head for a week. I’d do
absolutely anything to get rid of this earworm!”

6. Have (or get) your ducks in a row

There are plenty of origin stories behind this idiom--from little ducklings
following their mother in a tidy little line, to bowling pins, metal ducks in a
shooting arcade, and so many other possible sources. The cutest and the
earliest usage seems to come from the first one: little ducklings sorted in
a straight line behind their mother. So I guess we’ll have to go with that.

Meaning: Get everything organized, straightened up and accounted for

before embarking on an activity or project.

Example: I'll get my ducks in a row before going on vacation. I don’t want
my officemates thinking I’m lousy at my job.
7. Eager beaver

Are beavers really eager animals? Not necessarily. But this phrase came to
be simply because of the rhyme. It does have a nice ring to it, don’t you
think?

Meaning: An overly enthusiastic person; someone who is overzealous and

excited about doing a job.

Example: I have nothing against Martha, but she’s such an eager beaver.
Always volunteering on new projects and staying up late every day---she
makes us all look bad!

8. Running around like a headless chicken

Now that paints a bizarre picture alright. But did you know that when a
chicken’s head is chopped off, it still runs about in a panic for a couple of
seconds or so before dying? Morbid, I know. But that’s the origin of this
expression.

Meaning: To run around doing a lot of things in a disorganized, ineffective

manner.

Example: Maybe you should sit down first and organize your thoughts.
You seem to be running around like a headless chicken all day.

9. The tail wagging the dog

It’s always the dog that wags its tail. So what’s up with this idiom? How
does a tail wag the dog? This expressions comes from a popular phrase
that says: “a dog is smarter than its tail, but if the tail were smarter, then
the tail would wag the dog“.

A shorter version of this phrase is “wag the dog” which means to divert
attention to a less important issue in order to get away with a bigger
issue.

Meaning: A situation wherein a smaller or less important group appears to

control a larger or more important person or organization.

Example 1: Ever since Adrian headed the new team, the management
seems to be doing everything to please them. This is a case of the tail
wagging the dog.

Example 2: I can see what you’re doing; you’re trying to wag the dog so I
would forget how you crashed my car last night!

10. Turn turtle

Ever seen an upside down turtle helplessly trying to get back on its feet?
That’s the imagery this idiom wants to depict.
Meaning: To flip over; to turn upside down.

Example: The streets are so slippery today I was worried our car would
turn turtle!

11. Monkey business

What types of businesses are monkeys involved in? Apparently nothing

but shenanigans! This idiom is based on the playfulness of monkeys.

Meaning: shenanigans; activities that could be considered mischievous,

questionable or even illegal; antics that are generally disapproved of.

Example: Those three boys are cooped up inside the room. I wonder what
monkey business they’re planning this time?

12. Sacred cow

Were you thinking of a cow with a halo on its head while reading this
idiom? No? Oh, I guess it’s just me then. Anyway, you probably know how
cows are sacred and venerated in the religion Hindu. Slowly this
expression stemmed from that and became what it is today.

Meaning: A person, thing or belief that is unreasonably above criticism or

immune from questioning.

Example: There are no sacred cows in this organization. We will audit

everyone from top to bottom.

13. Cock and bull story

What does a cock and a bull have in common? Well, they both have a
story, albeit an improbable one. This idiom has been around for centuries
(the 1600s to be exact) and still used today.

There are a bunch of sources credited for the origin of this expression: two
coaching inns called The Cock and The Bull where people trade stories
that become more and more unlikely. It may also come from the French
expression coq-a-l’âne which means cock and jackass/ cock and bull.
Whatever the origin is, it’s most likely another cock and bull story!

Meaning: A story that is unlikely to be true. Usually boastful or used as an

excuse.

Example: Dana didn’t show up again today. She gave us some cock and
bull story about falling down the stairs and hurting her pinky finger.

14. Bull in a China shop

Could you imagine a bull in a China shop? Utter destruction, that’s what’s
gonna happen. But some TV guys actually did an experiment to see what
would happen if a bull is in a china shop. The result? Nothing! You can
watch the clip below.

Meaning: Someone who is very careless in the way he/she moves or

behaves. Could also refer to a clumsy manner of dealing with a delicate
situation.

Example: It was a very tense situation at the dinner when Karen, oblivious
as always, came in like a bull in a china shop.

Funny/ Bizarre English Idioms About Food

15. More holes than a Swiss cheese

Not all Swiss cheeses have holes in it, but apparently, this is what mostly
everyone thinks of when we think of Swiss cheese (blame it on the
cartoons we saw in our youth). So if an argument or a story has more
holes than this, it’s definitely got a lot of issues.

Meaning: Something that has a lot of faults and problems.

Example: The new movie’s plot has more holes than a Swiss cheese.

16. Best thing since sliced bread

When a bread slicing machine was introduced in the 1920s, it was

considered “the greatest forward step in the baking industry”. So this
phrase was born and used humorously to hype up something new and
innovative.

Meaning: Used to show one’s enthusiasm about a person, thing or idea; to

hype up a certain thing as a great invention or innovation.

Example: The way they act, it would seem like the new employee is the
best thing since sliced bread.

17. A hot potato

Who wants to hold a hot potato? Nobody. Everyone would just drop it. So
is a figurative hot potato. It’s a topic no one wants to touch!

Meaning: A controversial issue that nobody wants to discuss because it is

uncomfortable to talk about it.

Example: The immigration crisis is a hot potato in many countries

nowadays.

18. Couch potato

Another potato idiom, but this time one that’s in front of a TV with a bowl
of chips in hand. It’s a couch potato!

Meaning: A person who does not lead an active life and would rather stay
on the couch, watching TV.

Example: Couch potatoes, unite! In our own couches. At home.

Separately. While watching TV.

19. Beef up

When you want to bulk up or make something stronger or more effective,

you beef it up! This American slang is quite popular and used whether in
everyday speech or even in the news.

Meaning: To strengthen, increase, or make something more effective.

Example: After the incident last week, the security is beefed up all over
the city.

20. Go bananas

This American slang can be used to pertain to different kinds of extreme

emotions such as wild excitement, over-the-top happiness, or even in
some cases (but less common), anger. This idiom got its inspiration from
apes who go crazy when given bananas.

Meaning: To go wild, to go crazy with excitement or other extreme

emotions.

Example: When the host announced that Robert Downey Jr. has crashed
the party, the crowd went bananas!

21. Have a bone to pick with someone

It takes time to “pick” or thoroughly clean a bone; it involves a lot of biting

and chewing and all that gnashing. So when somebody claims to have a
bone to pick with you, uh oh, you’re in for a long discussion!

Meaning: To have a grievance that needs to be discussed.

Example: I have a bone to pick with you, Shiela. I saw your pictures on
Facebook: you’ve been wearing my clothes without my permission again!

22. Take with a grain (or pinch) of salt

Why not a handful of salt or a spoonful, you ask? Well, early texts contain
an antidote to poison which says “take with a grain of salt”. The
expression remains, but now it’s used to advise someone not to swallow
an idea fully. Take it with a grain of salt: consume it but with a healthy
dose of scepticism.
Meaning: to accept something but with a degree of scepticism.

Example: You should probably just let your baby cry herself to sleep. But
take my advice with a grain of salt since I don’t really have kids yet so
what do I know.

23. Pie in the sky

You’re lying down in the grass looking up when suddenly a pie comes
floating in the sky! Cool! You’re probably just daydreaming or
hallucinating. It’s a nice idea to think about though highly unlikely. That’s
what this idiom is all about.

Meaning: Something nice but unlikely to happen. An empty wish.

Example: Turns out that the startup business she planned was just a pie
in the sky.

Funny/ Bizarre English Idioms About Things Found in the Home

24. Pot calling the kettle black

When you’re a pot mired in black soot, could you afford to call the kettle
black? Apparently not, right? You’d think, “oh the hypocrisy of the pot!”

Meaning: To criticize someone for the same fault he or she has. This
phrase is used to call out the hypocrisy of a person or situation.

Example: Susan accusing Claire of faking the test results is the pot calling
the kettle black. They both got busted last night!

25. Everything but the kitchen sink

When you’ve taken everything but the kitchen sink, you’ve likely taken
the entire contents of your house!

Meaning: Almost everything imaginable, even the unnecessary ones.

Example: It was just a simple sleepover but Maria brought everything but
the kitchen sink!

26. Get up on the wrong side of the bed

There are days when you just seem to wake up with a bad temper. When
this happens, you got up on the wrong side of the bed!

Meaning: To begin the day with a bad mood.

Example: Come quick and be ready with your presentation. The boss is
here and he seems to have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed!
27. A wet blanket

A wet blanket can be effective in dousing a fire in the same way that a
figurative wet blanket is very effective in dampening an otherwise happy
occasion.

Meaning: A person who spoils all the fun by disapproving of the activities.
Someone who dampens everybody’s enthusiasm.

Example: She went to the party but moped in the corner the whole time.
What a wet blanket.

Funny/ Bizarre English Idioms About Body Parts

28. Pull the wool over someone’s eyes

When you pull wool over someone’s eyes, you have the intention to
deceive. I mean, why else would you cover someone’s eyes, right? Well,
there’s probably lots of other reasons, but you know, let’s just go with it.

Meaning: To deceive or hoodwink someone.

Example: My ex-fiance was pulling wool over my eyes the whole time. I
didn’t know his other secret life until the day before our wedding.

29. By the skin of your teeth

Does your skin even have teeth? Kinda weird, I know. But this phrase
actually originated from the Bible, in the Book of Job:

‘My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the
skin of my teeth’ (19:20).

Meaning: narrowly, barely, or by a very small margin

Example: Good thing he realized the trouble he’s in before he could

propose. He escaped that wicked woman’s grasp by the skin of his teeth!

30. Neck and neck

Another one that might raise a few eyebrows if you think of it literally.
What does neck and neck mean? Is it talking about two necks? What’s up
with that? Well, here’s what it means.

Meaning: To be even or tied in a competition or comparison.

Example: I don’t really know whom to pick. Both applicants are pretty
much neck and neck at this point.

31. Neck of the woods

Another one that talks about a neck. But this time, it’s not a person’s neck
but that of the woods!
Meaning: A certain area, neighborhood, or locality.

Example: What a surprise seeing you here! I don’t peg you for someone
who comes into this neck of the woods!

32. Go belly up

Ever had a pet fish while you were a kid? You probably noticed that when
it died it went belly up. So there you go with this idiom.

Meaning: to fail; to go bankrupt

Example: Most startups go belly up within the first four years!

33. Armed to the teeth

Now let’s talk about teeth again. Remember those movies where you’d
see pirates biting into their knives? That’s one of the possible origins of
this expression. Another one is that of knights covered in armor from head
to foot, fully armed to the teeth.

Meaning: Heavily armed or well-equipped, could be with literal weapons or

figuratively well-prepared.

Example: It was her first time to appear in court for the divorce, and wow,
she was so prepared! With her boxes of evidence of her husband’s affairs,
she was armed to the teeth and poised to win!

34. Wet behind the ears

What’s being wet behind the ears got to do with being inexperienced?
Well, let me break it down for you. According to this idiom’s origin, it is
based on the idea that newborn animals are totally wet from the amniotic
sac during birth. The mother would then proceed to lick the baby animal
thoroughly, but the indentation behind the ears (usually with a baby calf)
would still be wet.

Meaning: Used to describe someone inexperienced or immature.

Example: That lady thinks she’s the boss of me! She’s still wet behind the
ears!

Other Funny/ Bizarre English Idioms

35. Bite the dust

You’ve probably heard of the Queen song Another One Bites the Dust. See
Freddie Mercury below to jog your memory.

But since you can’t literally bite the dust, what does it all even mean?

Here’s what it means and it’s morbid.

Meaning: to die/ be killed; to meet the end; to fail

Example: He thought his new business would bite the dust soon.
Thankfully, a new investor arrived just in time.

36. Burst at the seams

There’s a scene in one of the Harry Potter movies where Harry inflates his
mean Aunt Marge and her clothes literally burst at the seams.

That would be a perfect literal example of this idiom. But figuratively? It

just means to be beyond full!

Meaning: To be filled beyond regular capacity

Example: Why did you have to invite everyone to this small party? Our
house is bursting at the seams and looks like it’s about to get trashed,
too!

37. Don't give up your day job

Let’s say your friend discovered his love for photography and excitedly
shows you the photos he took. Unfortunately you can see that he just
does not have the eye for taking good photos! How can you jokingly tell
him that he’s not that good? You say, don’t give up your day job!

Meaning: Used as a humorous but well-meaning way to tell someone

they’re not very good at something.

Example: It’s cool that you like to paint, but don’t give up your day job!

38. Elvis has left the building

Elvis was one of those people in history that people went bananas over
(see? We’re already using phrases we learned above!)

After his shows, people would still mill about, waiting for an encore or
even just a little extra glimpse. To signal that everything’s over and the
show is done, the announcer would say “Elvis has left the building”. These
words stuck and became a well-used expression even if Elvis has already
left--not just the building--but this Earth as well:(

Meaning: Means the show or event has ended.

Example: We took too long to get to the huge mall sale. Elvis has left the
building when we came.

39. Fat chance / slim chance

You’d know a language is weird when two opposing phrases mean the
exact same thing. Well, that’s the English language for you. Fat chance
involves sarcasm though, so saying that means its opposite---or ‘slim
chance’-- is true.

Meaning: There’s a very little chance of that happening.

Example 1: Get back together with that loser? Fat chance!

Example 2: Anna said that there’s a slim chance she’d get back together
with Craig.

40. Thick as thieves

Thieves are supposedly notorious for sharing secrets with each other. Who
else understands a thief but another thief, right? And in the old days, thick
can also mean to be very close. So there you go.

Meaning: Two or more people who are very close and share secrets to
each other.

Example: Those two kids are thick as thieves. They’ve been close since
they were babies!