【Animal Idioms: 動物片語輕鬆學】

幾天前轉貼英語 idioms 的教學方法, 以下則介紹一些英文常見的動物 idioms :  

搭配英文定義, 圖解, 和例句, 讓你/ 學生的英語教學更有效率喔!  

(Source: Clearer English)

 

Pigs might fly:

What are the chances that you’ll see a pig fly? Very, very low. Actually it’s impossible.

If you say ‘pigs might fly’ you are saying you believe something has a very, very low chance of happening.

For example:

Bob: I think my football team will win on Saturday.

Jack: Pigs might fly! You’ve lost every game this season 10-0.

Hold your horses:

This meaning is quite simple. It just means wait. Be patient.

For example:

You shouldn't buy that phone yet because a new one is coming out in a month. Just hold your horses.

The lion’s share:

Lions are big, strong and hungry. When a lion kills an animal, it eats until it is full. After the lion is full, the other animals can eat, but the lion always gets most of the meal.

‘the lion’s share’ is the most of something.

For example:

Steve and Dave built a house and then sold it. Steve got the lion’s share of the money, because he did most of the work.

Put the cat among the pigeons:

If you put a cat in a group of pigeons, what will happen? The pigeons will be scared and angry, and will make a lots of noise.

If you do something that you know will cause a group of people to be scared and angry, and make a lot of noise, you ‘put the cat among the pigeons’.

For example:

We can’t afford all our staff. Five people will lose their jobs. When I tell them at the meeting it will put the cat among the pigeons.

To let the cat out the bag:

If you put a cat in a bag, what will happen? It will try its hardest to get out!

This is the same thing that happens when you know a secret. The secret tries to get out of you.

So, ’to let the cat out the bag’ means to tell someone a secret by accident.

For example:

I’m sorry but I told John about the surprise party. I let the cat out of the bag.

Water off a duck’s back:

Ducks are always in water. Will a duck be upset if you pour water on its back?

No. It won’t even notice. It will ignore you.

People always call John lazy. Will he be upset if you call him lazy?

No. He won’t even notice. He will ignore you.

So when you criticise someone, but they ignore you, we say it is like water off a duck’s back.

For example:

She’s always late but I told her this dinner was really important. She was late again. It’s like water off a duck’s back.