Идиомы о животных

  • as nervous as a cat
    очень нервный
    The woman was as nervous as a cat when she talked to the bank manager.
  • as poor as a church mouse
    бедный как церковная мышь
    Cathy can't afford a new car; she is as poor as a church mouse.
  • as proud as a peacock
    очень гордый
    Ms. Bobtail's son was a good musician, and she was as proud as a peacock of him.
  • as quiet as a mouse
    тихий как мышь, робкий
    The child was playing with her toys and was as quiet as a mouse.
  • as red as a lobster
    красный (как рак)
    When Sandra came home from the beach, she was as red as a lobster after sitting in the sun too much.
  • as scarce as hen's teeth/scarcer than hen's teeth
    скудный или несуществующий
    Good hotels in this small town were as scarce as hen's teeth.
  • as scared as a rabbit
    пугливый как заяц
    The little boy became as scared as a rabbit when he saw that he was surrounded by strangers.
  • as sick as a dog
    очень больной
    Yates was shivering with cold and looked as sick as a dog.
  • as silly as a goose
    очень глупый
    No wonder nobody takes Julia seriously; she is as silly as a goose.
  • as slippery as an eel
    скользкий как угорь, увёртливый, изворотливый
    Paul is as slippery as an eel, and I am sure he cannot be trusted.
  • as sly as a fox
    хитрый как лиса
    Our neighbor Miss Cunning is as sly as a fox.
  • as snug as a bug in a rug
    очень уютный
    I wrapped myself into a big warm comforter and felt as snug as a bug in a rug.
  • as soft as down
    мягкий как пух
    The little girl's fair hair was as soft as down.
  • as strong as a horse/lion/ox
    сильный как бык
    Collin is as strong as an ox; he is the strongest among his friends.
  • as stubborn as a mule
    упрямый, как осёл
    If a person is as stubborn as a mule, it's impossible to make him change his mind.
  • as the crow flies
    напрямик, кратчайшим путём (так же прямо, как летит птица)
    As the crow flies, it is not more than three miles between his house and the station.
  • as ugly as a toad
    некрасивый, страшный как жаба
    Pam had a flat nose with wide nostrils, small beady eyes and a double chin and looked as ugly as a toad.
  • as weak as a kitten
    очень слабый, тщедушный
    Anne recovered from her illness but was as weak as a kitten.
  • as wild as a tiger
    очень дикий
    The dog was as wild as a tiger and he didn't allow anybody to touch him.
  • as wise as an owl
    очень мудрый (как сова)
    I often ask my Granny's advise because she is as wise as an owl.
  • back the wrong horse
    делать ставку не на того (человека)
    In voting for Senator Plush, voters in 1992 were backing the wrong horse.
  • badger (someone)
    донимать кого-либо
    I was writing an essay and didn't like my little sister to badger me with her silly questions.
  • bark up the wrong tree
    ошибаться, идти по ложному следу; обвинять не того, кого следует
    George is barking up the wrong tree when he blames his troubles on his parents.
  • bat out of hell
    очень быстро, мгновенно
    "What happened? Why did the man left the room like a bat out of hell?"
  • bats in the belfry
    сумасшедший, эксцентричный
    I guess my friend has bats in the belfry; his plans are absolutely crazy.
  • best-laid plans of mice and men
    хорошо продуманные планы
    Even the best-laid plans of mice and men cannot prevent you from misfortune.
  • bet on the wrong horse
    выбирать неверный курс, "поставить не на ту лошадь"
    "I am sure you are betting on the wrong horse when you try to support that project."
  • big fish in a small pond
    великан среди пигмеев, "шишка на ровном месте"
    "I don't think much of Jeremy Brown; he seems to be a big fish in a small pond."
  • bird brain
    очень глупый, "куриные мозги"
    Miss Davidson, the secretary, is a bird brain, and she is always making mistakes at work.
  • bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
    Одна птица в руках стоит двух в кустах. (пословица)
    "I think you shouldn't spend your money so recklessly until you are able to earn more. Remember that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
  • birds and bees
    птички и пчёлки, дети в капусте (объяснение ребёнку, откуда берутся дети)
    The time comes when it is necessary to tell the children about birds and bees.
  • birds of a feather flock together
    Рыбак рыбака видит издалека. (Пословица)
    "Do not complain about your relatives. Remember that birds of a feather flock together. You are very similar to them."
  • birds-eye view
    взгляд с высоты птичьего полёта
    They had a birds-eye view of the stage from their seats high up in the gallery.
  • bitten by (some kind of) bug
    заинтересоваться какой-либо деятельностью
    My sister got interested in collecting butterflies as if she had been bitten by some kind of bug.
  • black sheep of the family
    паршивая овца (в семье)
    My cousin Cora is a high school dropout. My relatives think her to be the black sheep of the family.