| 800 pound gorilla | "The 800 pound gorilla is a dominant force in an industry or situation often acting without regard for others' rights or rules." | The phrase originates from a riddle: 'Where does an 800 pound gorilla sit? Anywhere it wants to.' It has been in use since at least . | Animal |
| "Monkey see monkey do" | The act of imitating others without understanding the reasons behind their actions; mimicking behavior without critical thinking or consideration of consequences. | "The idiom originated in Jamaica in the early th century used in a pidgin context and was recognized as an 'old saying' by ." | Animal |
| never put an apple in your rabbit | "The idiom signifies that certain foods like apples can be harmful to rabbits if given in excess due to their high sugar content." | | Animal |
| Throw to the wolves | "To allow someone to be criticized or attacked often to protect oneself; to sacrifice someone to save others." | The term originates from Aesop's fable about a nurse who threatens to throw her charge to the wolves if the child does not behave. | Animal |
| bite off more than one can chew | To take on more responsibility than one can handle. | "The idiom originated in thcentury America likely related to the practice of chewing tobacco where individuals would take larger bites than they could chew comfortably." | Animal |
| shooting fish in a barrel | accomplishing a task that’s remarkably easy or certain to succeed | "The origin is somewhat unclear but it is believed to have originated in the early th century in America referring to the practice of shooting fish that were tightly packed in barrels making it almost guaranteed to hit one." | Animal |
| jumping the shark | "A point in a television show or other activity where its popularity begins to decline often due to gimmicks or drastic changes." | "The phrase originates from a episode of the TV show 'Happy Days' where the character Fonzie jumps over a shark while waterskiing marking a turning point in the show's quality." | Animal |
| fish out of water | Someone who feels uncomfortable or out of place in an unfamiliar situation. | "The expression dates back to Geoffrey Chaucer's works in the th century indicating its longstanding use in the English language." | Animal |
| Butterfly effect | "The butterfly effect refers to the idea that small causes can have large effects particularly in complex systems as described in chaos theory." | "The term 'butterfly effect' was popularized by meteorologist Edward Lorenz in the s who used it to illustrate how small changes in initial conditions can lead to vastly different outcomes. The metaphor suggests that the flap of a butterfly's wings could ultimately cause a tornado elsewhere highlighting the sensitivity of complex systems to initial conditions." | Animal |
| Who breaks a butterfly upon a wheel? | To use excessive force or effort to achieve something trivial or insignificant. | "The phrase originates from Alexander Pope's poem 'Epistle to Dr Arbuthnot' () alluding to a method of torture where victims had their bones broken on a wheel highlighting the absurdity of such force against something delicate like a butterfly." | Animal |
| fly on the wall | to see or listen to something without being noticed; to secretly hear or see something. | "The idiom originated in the United States in the early s with the first printed record appearing in the s. It reflects the idea of being an inconspicuous observer akin to a fly that can witness events without being noticed." | Animal |
| the bee's knees | something that is excellent or of very high quality | "The origin is unclear but it likely emerged in the s as a playful nonsense phrase. Some theories suggest it refers to the goodness of pollen carried by bees or it may relate to a dancer named Bee Jackson. It could also be a corruption of the word 'business'." | Animal |
| Boiling frog | "A problematic situation that gradually worsens until it becomes catastrophic often without the affected individuals realizing the danger until it's too late." | "The idiom originates from a widespread anecdote describing a frog that is placed in cold water which is gradually heated leading it to not perceive the danger until it is too late and is boiled alive." | Animal |
| crocodile tears | a false expression of sadness or regret about something | "The phrase originates from an ancient belief that crocodiles shed tears while eating their prey suggesting insincerity. This belief was prevalent in ancient Egyptian culture and has been referenced in literature since at least the s." | Animal |
| snake in the grass | A deceitful or treacherous person who may not appear harmful at first. | "The phrase originated from the Latin poet Virgil's work around B.C. where he described a hidden danger with the phrase 'latet anguis in herba'." | Animal |
| Snake venom | "Malice or hatred often used to describe someone's bitter feelings towards another." | "The term 'venom' originates from ancient cultures that associated it with poison and love potions reflecting a duality in its meaning. The IndoEuropean roots of the term relate to desire and the act of ingesting liquids." | Animal |
| get your goat | To annoy or irritate someone. | "The idiom is believed to originate from horse racing where goats were kept with racehorses to calm them. Removing the goat would upset the horse thus 'getting someone's goat'." | Animal |
| take (or grab) the bull by the horns | To confront a difficult situation directly and decisively. | "The idiom likely originated from bullfighting or ranching practices in the American West where it was necessary to confront a bull directly to control it." | Animal |
| don't cry over spilled milk | There is no point in being upset over something that has already happened and cannot be changed. | "The idiom can be traced back to James Howell who wrote 'No weeping for shed milk' in ." | Animal |
| don't have a cow | To tell someone to calm down or not to overreact to a situation. | "The phrase originated in the United States in the midth century with its first known use in . It was popularized by Bart Simpson from 'The Simpsons'." | Animal |
| hold your horses | To tell someone to be patient or to wait before taking action. | "The phrase originates from the th century when it was used literally to command someone to stop their horses reflecting a time when horse transportation was common." | Animal |
| look a gift horse in the mouth | To be ungrateful or to question the value of a gift; to appreciate gifts without scrutinizing them for flaws. | "The idiom originates from St. Jerome's commentary ( AD) on Paul's letter to the Ephesians expressed in Latin as 'Noli equi dentes inspicere donati' meaning 'never inspect the teeth of a given horse'. This reflects the practice of assessing a horse's age by examining its teeth which would be considered rude when receiving a gift horse." | Animal |
| no horse in this race | No vested interest in the outcome of a contest or debate. | "The idiom originates from horse racing; if someone has not placed bets on any horses in a race they have no vested interest in the outcome." | Animal |
| Beating a dead horse | To continue discussing or pursuing a topic that has already been resolved or is pointless; further effort is futile. | "The idiom originated in the midth century referring to the futile act of trying to make a dead horse perform which is impossible. It was popularized in discussions in the House of Commons in ." | Animal |
| Blind men and an elephant | The idiom signifies that different people can have different interpretations of the same situation based on their limited perspectives. | "The origin of the idiom can be traced back to ancient Indian texts including Buddhist Hindu and Jain writings dating back to around B.C." | Animal |
| Seeing pink elephants | "A euphemism for hallucinations caused by delirium tremens or alcoholic hallucinosis especially due to heavy drinking." | "The term dates back to the early th century popularized by Jack London's novel 'John Barleycorn' and the Disney film 'Dumbo' where the character hallucinates pink elephants after consuming alcohol." | Animal |
| Elephant in the room | An obvious problem or difficult situation that people do not want to talk about. | "The phrase likely originated in the early th century with the first known use in print by British author F. Anstey in although it may have been in spoken use before that." | Animal |
| White elephant | A burdensome possession that is expensive to maintain and has little practical value. | "The term originates from Siam (now Thailand) where white elephants were sacred and costly to care for. It was said that the king would gift a white elephant to a courtier he wanted to burden as the upkeep was financially draining." | Animal |
| bird of a feather | "people with similar characteristics interests or backgrounds tend to associate or group together" | "The idiom originated in the th century with a version appearing in William Turner's work in . It reflects the natural behavior of birds of the same species flocking together for safety." | Animal |
| bird brain | A foolish or unintelligent person. | "The term 'bird brain' originated in the early th century implying that birds having small brains are unintelligent which is a misconception. It combines 'bird' and 'brain' to suggest a lack of intelligence." | Animal |
| a bird in hand | It is better to hold onto something you have than to risk losing it by trying to get something better. | "The origin of the idiom is linked to medieval falconry where a bird in hand (the falcon) was more valuable than two in the bush (the prey)." | Animal |
| kill two birds with one stone | To achieve two things with one action. | "The idiom is believed to originate from the story of Daedalus and Icarus in Greek mythology where Daedalus killed two birds to use their feathers for wings. The phrase was first recorded in writing in by Thomas Hobbes." | Animal |
| like turkeys voting for Christmas | used to refer to a situation where individuals or groups unknowingly support or participate in something that will ultimately bring harm or negative consequences to themselves | "The idiom originated from the tradition of eating turkey as a Christmas meal where turkeys are essentially voting for their own demise. It was popularized by British politicians including David Penhaligon and James Callaghan in the late s." | Animal |
| Turkeys voting for Christmas | A situation where individuals or groups unknowingly support something that will ultimately harm them. | "The idiom originated from the tradition of eating turkey at Christmas where turkeys would be voting for their own demise. It was popularized by British politicians in the late s particularly by David Penhaligon and James Callaghan." | Animal |
| Chicken or the egg | A causality dilemma where it is unclear which of two events should be considered the cause and which should be considered the effect. | "The phrase originates from a philosophical question posed by Plutarch in the st century CE reflecting on the problem of origins and the interdependence of events." | Animal |
| don't count your chickens before they hatch | do not assume that something will happen before it actually does; do not make plans based on a good thing happening before it has actually happened | "The idiom is often attributed to Aesop's fables particularly the story of 'The Milkmaid and Her Pail' which illustrates the folly of counting on future successes that may not materialize." | Animal |
| get one's ducks in a row | To be well organized or prepared for something. | "The idiom likely originates from the way mother ducks lead their ducklings in a line symbolizing organization. Other theories suggest it relates to fairground shooting galleries where ducks are lined up as targets." | Animal |
| wild goose chase | A foolish and hopeless search for something unattainable. | "The term originated in the th century referring to a horse race where riders followed a lead horse in an erratic pattern resembling wild geese flying in formation. It was first recorded in Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' and in Gervase Markham's writings." | Animal |
| Albatross (metaphor) | "A psychological burden that feels like a curse often associated with guilt or shame." | "The metaphor originates from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' () where an albatross symbolizes good luck until it is killed by the mariner leading to misfortune and guilt." | Animal |
| Ostrich effect | "The ostrich effect is a cognitive bias that causes individuals to avoid information that they perceive as potentially unpleasant particularly in financial matters or health concerns." | "The term 'ostrich effect' was first coined by behavioral economists Galai and Sade in . It is named after the false belief that ostriches bury their heads in the sand to avoid danger which reflects a common misconception about their behavior." | Animal |
| Canary in the coal mine | An early warning sign of danger. | "The phrase originates from the practice in coal mining where canaries were used to detect toxic gases. Miners would bring canaries into the mines and if the canary became ill or died it served as a warning for miners to evacuate due to dangerous air quality." | Animal |
| Dead cat bounce | A temporary and deceptive recovery in the price of an asset or security after a significant decline. | "The term originated in the mids in the financial industry based on the idea that even a dead cat will bounce if it falls from a great height indicating a brief resurgence during a severe decline." | Animal |
| Letting the cat out of the bag | To accidentally reveal a secret. | "The phrase originates from medieval livestock markets where dishonest merchants would sell cats instead of piglets leading to the revelation of the fraud when the cat was let out of the bag." | Animal |
| Belling the cat | "to undertake a dangerous or risky task often necessary for the benefit of a group" | "originates from Aesop's fable 'The Mice in Council' where mice agree to bell a cat but none volunteer for the dangerous task." | Animal |
| put the cat among the pigeons | "To do or say something that causes trouble or chaos particularly by upsetting the status quo." | "The idiom originates from colonial India where a cat was placed among pigeons causing a disturbance. This practice led to the phrase being used to describe actions that create chaos or upset." | Animal |
| raining cats and dogs | "A heavy downpour indicating that it is raining very hard." | "The phrase first appeared in print in in a poem by Henry Vaughan. It was popularized by Jonathan Swift in . The exact origin is uncertain with theories linking it to Norse mythology poor drainage in thcentury England and the imagery of animals falling from roofs during storms." | Animal |
| no dog in this fight | To not have a personal stake in the outcome of a situation; not concerned about the result. | "The idiom originates from the practice of dogfighting where spectators would have no vested interest in the outcome. It has been used in American English since the latter th century." | Animal |
| screw the pooch | "To make a very serious grievous or irreversible mistake; to ruin something or cause something to fail due to such an error." | "The idiom originated in the s possibly as a euphemism for the earlier military vulgarism 'fuck the dog'. It was popularized by Tom Wolfe in his book 'The Right Stuff' in ." | Animal |
| barking up the wrong tree | "To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action often implying that someone is making a wrong assumption or focusing their efforts on the wrong thing." | "The idiom originated from early th century American hunting practices where dogs would bark at the base of a tree mistakenly believing their prey was there when it had actually escaped to another tree." | Animal |
| Taken aback | surprised or confused by something unexpected; unable to react immediately | "The term is nautical in origin referring to a sudden change in wind direction that causes a sailing vessel to stop or move backward." | Nautical |
| Batten down the hatches | "To prepare for trouble or difficulty especially in the context of an impending crisis." | "The idiom originates from nautical terminology where 'batten down the hatches' refers to the practice of securing the hatches of a ship with wooden strips (battens) to prevent water from entering during a storm. This practice dates back to the early th century." | Nautical |
| Clear the decks | To remove all hurdles to get started on that work. | "The phrase originated in naval warfare where it described preparing for battle by removing or securing loose objects on the ship's decks. This command was given by admirals to ensure the ship was ready for action." | Nautical |
| Chew the fat | "Have a long informal conversation" | "Speculated origins from sailors or farmers chatting while chewing fat first used in " | |
| Show someone the ropes | To explain to someone new how things work and how to do a job. | "The idiom is derived from sailing ships where it referred to teaching a novice which ropes control various parts of the ship." | Nautical |
| Sail close to the wind | "To take a risky course of action often on the edge of legality or safety." | "The idiom originates from nautical terminology referring to the technique of sailing a boat as closely as possible to the direction from which the wind is blowing which is risky and can lead to loss of speed or control. This usage dates back to the early th century." | Nautical |
| Loaded to the gunwales | Filled to the very top; as full as possible. | "The term 'gunwale' refers to the upper edge of a boat's side and the idiom originates from the practice of describing heavily loaded ships. The phrase dates back to the th century indicating maximum capacity." | Nautical |
| Back and fill | To act indecisively; to change one's direction repeatedly; to reverse one's course. | "Originally nautical referring to trimming the sails so as to manage the wind in a narrow channel." | Nautical |
| On one's beam ends | In a precarious and/or desperate situation. | "The phrase originated from the nautical term describing a ship tilted to the point of capsizing dating back to at least the th century. The beams refer to the horizontal timbers of a ship and if a ship is on its beam ends it is in imminent danger of capsizing." | Nautical |
| Awash | Covered with or as if with water; overwhelmed or flooded with something. | "The term 'awash' originated in nautical contexts around meaning 'on the level of flush with' the water. Its figurative use began to appear by ." | Nautical |
| Adrift | Floating without control or direction; lacking purpose or guidance. | "The term 'adrift' originated in the s from the prefix 'a' meaning 'on' and 'drift' indicating something that is floating at random or at the mercy of currents." | Nautical |
| A wide berth | "to maintain a safe distance from someone or something often as a precautionary measure" | "The idiom originates from nautical terminology where 'berth' refers to the space allotted for a ship to dock or maneuver safely. It dates back to the th century originally advising sailors to keep a safe distance from obstacles to avoid collisions." | Nautical |
| Flagship | "The most important ship in a fleet or the leading member of a group often used to denote the best or most important product or service of a company." | "The term 'flagship' originated in the s referring to a warship that carried the flag of an admiral. Its figurative use to denote the best or most important item in a category began in the s." | Nautical |
| Unmoored | "Freed from moorings; mentally confused insecure or disoriented." | "The term 'unmoored' originated in the late th century meaning to free a ship from its moorings. Its figurative use to describe emotional or mental instability emerged in the th century." | Nautical |
| Nail one's colors to the mast | "To clearly show one's support for a side or opinion in a dispute often indicating an intention to defend that side to the end." | "The phrase originates from a naval military practice where displaying one's colors from the mast of a ship during battle showed loyalty. To surrender one would strike one's colors but nailing them to the mast indicated a refusal to surrender and a commitment to fight to the death." | Nautical |
| Flying the flag | "To represent or support one's country or organization often showing pride and allegiance." | "The idiom originates from the practice of displaying flags to signify support or identity particularly in maritime contexts where flags indicated the nationality of ships. This practice has evolved into a broader cultural expression of loyalty and representation." | Nautical |
| Plain sailing | Easy and untroubled progress. | "The idiom originates from nautical terminology specifically from 'plane sailing' a simplified method of navigation. The earliest known use of 'plain sailing' dates back to the late s." | Nautical |
| With flying colors | "To pass a test or complete a task very successfully often with high marks." | "The phrase originated in the Age of Exploration when ships would return to port with their flags (""colours"") raised to signify that the ship had been successful." | Nautical |
| In the doldrums | A state of inactivity or low spirits. | "The term 'doldrums' originally referred to a region near the equator where calm winds could leave sailing ships stranded leading to feelings of depression among sailors. The word 'doldrum' itself comes from a thcentury term meaning 'dullard' or 'sluggish person'." | Nautical |
| All hands to the pumps | Everyone is urgently needed to help out in an emergency. | "The expression originated in nautical parlance where 'hand' means a member of the crew and it signifies a collective effort in critical situations particularly on ships." | Nautical |
| Weathering a storm | To endure a difficult situation without suffering significant harm. | "The idiom originates from the nautical world referring to ships surviving turbulent weather at sea which has evolved to describe overcoming challenges and hardships." | Nautical |
| A different tack | "To change direction or approach often used metaphorically to indicate trying a different method." | "The idiom originates from nautical terminology specifically from the practice of repositioning sails on a sailing vessel to change course. It came into use in the s." | Nautical |
| Swinging the lead | To feign illness or avoid work. | "The idiom originates from the practice of sailors using a lead weight to measure water depth. A lazy sailor would swing the lead instead of actually performing the task thus avoiding work. This usage dates back to the early th century." | Nautical |
| Left high and dry | Abandoned and without help. | "The expression originated in the s and referenced ships that became stuck on high ground during low tide implying a state of being stranded or abandoned." | Nautical |
| Three sheets to the wind | Very drunk or intoxicated. | "The phrase has nautical origins referring to a ship with three sheets (ropes) loose and blowing in the wind causing it to be out of control similar to a drunken person. It suggests that when the sheets are loose the sails flap wildly leading to a lack of control akin to being very drunk." | Nautical |
| Sun over the yardarm | "It is the appropriate time of day to begin drinking alcohol typically around a.m." | "The phrase originated from nautical customs in the north Atlantic where it was customary for sailors to have their first drink of the day when the sun was above the yardarm a horizontal bar on the mast of a ship. This typically occurred around a.m. coinciding with the first rum ration issued to sailors." | Nautical |
| Broken heart | Extreme emotional distress from romantic loss or grief | "Metaphorical expression dating back years representing emotional pain associated with losing a loved one" | Body Metaphor |
| Cold feet | Losing courage or becoming nervous about doing something | "Originated from German idiom ""kalte Füße bekommen"" first appearing in English in with first figurative use in Stephen Crane's novel" | Body Metaphor |
| Achilles' heel | A vulnerability in an otherwise strong situation | "From Greek mythology about Achilles whose only weak point was his heel. Entered English in the th century" | Body Metaphor |
| All ears | Listening intently with full attention | "Originated in the th century first recorded in The London Magazine in " | Body Metaphor |
| All thumbs | Being clumsy or uncoordinated with hands | "Signifies lack of dexterity implying someone is as awkward as if all their fingers were thumbs" | Body Metaphor |
| An arm and a leg | Something extremely expensive | "Multiple origin theories including portrait painting pricing or referencing servicemen's war sacrifices" | Body Metaphor |
| Break a leg | "Wishing good luck especially to performers" | "Theatrical superstition to avoid saying ""good luck"" directly possibly originating from Elizabethan audience chairbreaking or German/Yiddish translations" | Body Metaphor |
| By the skin of one's teeth | Narrowly succeeding or escaping | "Biblical origin from the Book of Job meaning to succeed by the smallest possible margin" | Body Metaphor |
| Chew the cud | To chat aimlessly | "Metaphorical use from animal rumination first recorded in Henry Fielding's ""Tom Jones"" in " | Body Metaphor |
| Clutch one's pearls | Expressing shock or moral outrage | "Modern slang referring to a dramatic performative reaction of shock" | Body Metaphor |
| Cold shoulder | Deliberately ignoring or dismissing someone | "Attributed to Sir Walter Scott in mistranslated from a biblical phrase" | Body Metaphor |
| Cut off your nose to spite your face | Harming oneself while trying to harm others | "Proverb dating back to around meaning selfdestructive revenge" | Body Metaphor |
| Dig one's heels in | Stubbornly resisting change | Metaphor from physically resisting forward motion by pressing heels into ground | Body Metaphor |
| Get bent out of shape | "To become angry agitated or take offense" | "Emerged in mids possibly linked to earlier slang about drunkenness or drug use" | Body Metaphor |
| Get a wiggle on | To move quickly or hurry | "Originated in first appeared in Wilson's Photographic Magazine became popular American slang by the s" | Body Metaphor |
| Have eyes bigger than one's stomach | "Taking more food than one can eat; metaphorically having ambitions beyond one's capabilities" | "Originated in the s originally phrased as ""eyes bigger than one's belly""" | Body Metaphor |
| Have eyes in the back of one's head | Being exceptionally alert and able to perceive things beyond direct vision | "Dates back to Roman Empire earliest citation around BC in Plautus' play ""Auluaria""" | Body Metaphor |
| Head over heels | Completely in love or deeply infatuated | "Originated around initially meant being literally upside down evolved to describe romantic feelings in the s" | Body Metaphor |
| Hit the nail on the head | To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem | "Rooted in carpentry metaphorically describing precise problem identification" | Body Metaphor |
| Hit the spot | "To be exactly what is needed or wanted bringing great satisfaction" | Likely popularized in the s through a soft drink advertising jingle | Body Metaphor |
| In over one's head | Involved in a situation too difficult to handle or understand | "Emerged in the s metaphorically describing being submerged in water too deep" | Body Metaphor |
| Thumb one's nose | To show disrespect by a gesture or by flouting something | A physical gesture of placing thumb on nose with spread fingers | Body Metaphor |
| Tie one on | To get really drunk | "Multiple origin theories including references to continuing drinking from a previous session" | Body Metaphor |
| Take the piss | "To mock tease or joke at someone's expense" | "Possibly from the idiom ""pissproud"" referring to deflating false pride" | Body Metaphor |
| Under my thumb | Completely under someone's direct control | "Originated in the th century metaphorically representing physical dominance" | Body Metaphor |
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