Animals are everywhere in our lives—they can be pets, farm animals, wild creatures, or symbols of qualities like bravery, laziness, or cleverness. That’s why many English idioms are based on animals. Idioms are phrases whose meanings cannot always be guessed from the words themselves.
In this article, we’ll explore 100 idioms related to animals, their meanings, and some simple explanations. These idioms will help you make your English more fun, colorful, and natural.
Why Animals in Idioms?
Animals have been used in stories, fables, and culture for centuries. People compared human behavior to animals because:
- Cats and dogs fight → symbol of arguments.
- Owls are wise → symbol of intelligence.
- Donkeys are stubborn → symbol of resistance.
This is why English has so many expressions involving animals.
100 Animal Idioms with Meanings
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| The lion’s share | The biggest portion |
| A paper tiger | Something that looks scary but is harmless |
| A copycat | Someone who copies another |
| A scaredy-cat | A coward |
| Curiosity killed the cat | Being too curious can cause trouble |
| Cat nap | A short sleep |
| Fat cat | A rich, powerful person |
| Look what the cat dragged in | Said when someone arrives looking messy or unexpectedly |
| Let the cat out of the bag | Reveal a secret |
| Like a cat on hot bricks | Very nervous |
| Dog days | The hottest days of summer |
| Work like a dog | Work very hard |
| Sick as a dog | Very ill |
| Every dog has its day | Everyone gets a chance eventually |
| You can’t teach an old dog new tricks | Hard to change old habits |
| Barking up the wrong tree | Looking in the wrong place for answers |
| Dog-eat-dog world | A very competitive world |
| Hair of the dog | Alcohol taken to cure a hangover |
| Top dog | The leader |
| Puppy love | Young, shallow love |
| Pig out | Eat too much |
| In a pig’s eye | Very unlikely |
| When pigs fly | Something impossible |
| Like a pig in mud | Very happy |
| Sweating like a pig | Sweating heavily |
| Make a pig of yourself | Overeat or act greedy |
| Lipstick on a pig | Dressing something ugly to look nice |
| Buy a pig in a poke | Buy something without checking |
| Pigheaded | Stubborn |
| Cash cow | Something that makes a lot of money |
| Until the cows come home | For a very long time |
| A sacred cow | Something not to be criticized |
| A bull in a china shop | A clumsy person |
| Take the bull by the horns | Deal with a problem bravely |
| A red rag to a bull | Something that provokes anger |
| Strong as an ox | Very strong |
| As stubborn as a mule | Very stubborn |
| Kick like a mule | Very strong kick |
| Monkey business | Dishonest or silly behavior |
| Monkey see, monkey do | Copying without understanding |
| A monkey on your back | A big problem or addiction |
| Brass monkey weather | Extremely cold |
| Chimp off the old block | A child similar to a parent (play on “chip”) |
| Horse around | Play roughly |
| Hold your horses | Wait, be patient |
| Eat like a horse | Eat a lot |
| Straight from the horse’s mouth | From the original source |
| Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth | Don’t complain about a gift |
| Beating a dead horse | Wasting time on something finished |
| Dark horse | An unexpected winner |
| Wild goose chase | A useless search |
| Kill the goose that lays golden eggs | Destroying something valuable by being greedy |
| Cook someone’s goose | Ruin someone’s plan |
| Goosebumps | Tiny bumps on skin from fear or excitement |
| A sitting duck | An easy target |
| Duck out of something | To avoid or escape |
| Water off a duck’s back | Insults that don’t bother someone |
| Ugly duckling | Someone who becomes beautiful later |
| As the crow flies | In a straight line |
| Eat crow | Admit you were wrong |
| Crow about something | Boast about something |
| A little bird told me | Hinting you know something secretly |
| Birds of a feather flock together | People who are alike stick together |
| A bird’s-eye view | A view from above |
| Kill two birds with one stone | Do two things at once |
| Night owl | Someone who stays up late |
| Wise as an owl | Very wise |
| Early bird | Someone who wakes up early |
| Eagle eye | Very observant |
| Spread your wings | Try new things |
| Swan song | A final performance |
| Black swan | A rare, unpredictable event |
| A white elephant | Something costly but useless |
| Elephant in the room | An obvious problem nobody talks about |
| Memory like an elephant | Remembering everything |
| Ants in your pants | Restless, can’t sit still |
| Busy as a bee | Very busy |
| Make a beeline | Go straight toward something |
| The bee’s knees | Excellent |
| Buzz off | Go away |
| Sting in the tail | An unpleasant surprise |
| Fly on the wall | Able to secretly watch something |
| Drop like flies | Many dying or failing quickly |
| A fly in the ointment | A small thing that spoils everything |
| Flea market | A market selling used things |
| Flea in your ear | A sharp scolding |
| Rat race | Endless, competitive routine |
| Smell a rat | Suspect something wrong |
| Pack rat | Someone who keeps too many things |
| Like a drowned rat | Very wet and messy |
| As sly as a fox | Clever, tricky |
| A fox in the henhouse | Someone dangerous in a safe place |
| Crazy like a fox | Seeming foolish but actually clever |
| Lone wolf | Prefers to be alone |
| Cry wolf | Give a false alarm |
| A wolf in sheep’s clothing | Someone dangerous pretending to be nice |
| Throw someone to the wolves | Sacrifice someone for others’ benefit |
| Hungry like a wolf | Very hungry |
| Snake in the grass | A hidden enemy |
| Kill a snake | Solve a difficult problem |
| Crocodile tears | Fake sadness |
| Like an alligator | Aggressive and tough |
| Busy as a beaver | Hardworking |
| Beaver away | Work steadily |
| Eager beaver | Very enthusiastic worker |
Conclusion
These 100 animal idioms show how people describe human feelings, actions, and problems through animals. By learning them, you’ll not only understand everyday English better but also make your writing and speaking more vivid. Next time you want to express yourself in class or with friends, try using an animal idiom it will make your English come alive!