BIRD

• to kill two birds with one stone = matar dos pájaros de un tiro
• to eat like a bird = eat very little
• a bird's eye view = a vuelo de pájaro
• an early bird = a person who arrives or gets up early
• a bird of ill omen = un pájaro de mal agüero
• as the crow flies = in a straight line
• a little bird told me something = expression used to say that you know something but you will not say how you found out  = me contó un pajarito

BULL

• to take the bull by the horns = face a difficulty boldly
• like a bull in a china shop = a rough and clumsy person
• like a red tag to a bull = likely to cause anger
• a cock and bull story = an absurd and improbable story, used as an excuse or explanation = un cuento chino
• to move like a bull at a gate = to move very fast, ignoring everything in your way
• to hit the bull's eye = dar en el blanco
• to shoot the bull (US) = to have an informal conversation about unimportant things
• don't mess with the bull, you'll get the horns! = if you look for trouble, you'll find it

CAT

• a cat has nine lives = un gato tiene siete vidas (Nótese que en inglés el gato tiene dos vidas más!)
• curiosity killed the cat (satisfaction brought it back) = it may be dangerous to be too curious
• to fight like cat and dog = to fight a lot
• has a cat got your tongue? = ¿te comieron la lengua los ratones?
• to let the cat out of the bag = to reveal a secret carelessly
• like a cat on hot bricks = very nervous
• no room to swing a cat = not enough space
• to have a cat nap = to have a short sleep
• to play cat and mouse with somebody = to keep somebody in uncertain expectation, treating him alternately cruelly and kindly
• when the cat's away, the mice will play = cuando el gato no está, los ratones se divierten
• all cats are grey in the dark = por la noche todos los gatos son pardos
• to put/set the cat among the pigeons = to introduce somebody/something that is likely to cause trouble
• it's raining cats and dogs = it's raining a lot = está lloviendo a cántaros
• a cat in gloves catches no mice = gato con guantes no caza ratones
• hunt with cats and you catch only rats = you should choose you allies wisely

 

 

CHICKEN - HEN - STAG - COCK

• never count your chickens before they are hatched = no cantes victoria antes de tiempo (lit. nunca cuentes tus pollos antes de que nazcan)
• which came first, the chicken or the egg? = it is difficult or impossible to decide which of two things happened first
• a chicken and egg situation = a situation in which it is difficult or impossible to decide which of two things happened first
• somebody's chickens have come home to roost = somebody's bad actions in the past cause problems now
• to run around like a headless chicken = to go from one place to another in a disorganized way
• chicken feed = small amount of money, almost useless
• to chicken out = to decide at the last moment not to do something because you are afraid
• chicken pox = illness which causes fever and spots on your skin = varicela
• somebody is no spring chicken = somebody is no longer young
• to behave like a hen mother = to be very protective
• a hen party = party for women only, usually the night before one of them gets married
• a stag party/night = party for men only, usually the night before one of them gets married
• a cock and bull story = an absurd and improbable story, used as an excuse or explanation = un cuento chino
• to live like fighting cocks = to enjoy the best possible food
• cock of the walk = person who dominates others

 

 

DOG

• a dog's life = constantly worried, troubled or miserable
• every dog has his day = everyone can succeed sooner or later
• love me, love my dog = if one loves somebody, one should love everyone and everything associated with him
• to be like a dog with two tails = to be very happy
• to give a dog a bad name (and hang him) = once a person has lost his reputation, it's difficult to regain it
• to go to the dog = (an organization) become less efficient
• to let sleeping dogs lie = to let it be quiet
• to make a dog's breakfast of something = to do something very badly
• not to stand/have a dog's chance = to have no chance at all
• to work like a dog = to work a lot
• to treat somebody like a dog = to treat somebody with no respect at all
• to die like a dog = to die in misery, with no honour nor dignity
• dog eat dog = (adj) when people compete against each other and do anything to get what they want; a dog eat dog world/situation.
• the tail wagging the dog = situation in which a minor part of something controls the course of the whole
• his bark is worse than his bite = perro que ladra no muerde
• barking dogs seldom/never bite = people who look aggressive are not really too bad
• you can't teach an old dog new tricks = it's difficult for an old person to change or do new things
• top dog = person who has the most power in a group
• the underdog = a person or team that is weaker than the others, and is always expected to be unsuccessful
• doggy bag = small bag for taking home the food that is left over from a meal in a restaurant

 

DUCK

• a sitting duck = somebody easy to attack
• an ugly duckling = a person who at first seems unpromising but later becomes admired
• like a duck to water = without fear, naturally
• like water off a duck's back = (of criticisms) without any effect
• a dead duck = a plan that will probably fail
• a lame duck = a person/organization in trouble that needs help
• to duck a subject/question = to avoid a difficult or unpleasant subject/question

 

FISH

• like a fish out of water = strange, different to the rest = como sapo de otro pozo
• like a fish in muddy/troubled waters = in confused subjects
• a big fish (in a little pond) = an important person (in a small comunity or a restricted situation)
• an odd fish = an eccentric person
• to dream like fish = to dream a lot
• to drink like a fish = to drink a lot of alcohol
• to have bigger/other fish to fry = to have something more important to do
• neither fish, flesh nor good red herring = too ambiguous
• there are (plenty of) other fish in the sea = there are (many) other people/things

GOOSE

• to cook somebody's goose = ensure that somebody fails
• to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs = to destroy something that would have produced continuous profit in the future
• not to say boo to a goose = to be very timid or gentle
• what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander = what is good for one person must be also good for another in similar circumstances
• a wild goose chase = a situation where you look for something that does not exist so you waste a lot of time
• to get goose pimples/flesh = to get small raised spots on your skin when you are cold or frightened

 

HORSE

• to eat like a horse = to eat a lot
• to be flogging a dead horse = to be wasting time or effort on something impossible
• to be/get on one's high horse = to act proudly, be arrogant
• to be healthy as a horse = to be very healthy
• to get on one's hobby-horse = to start talking about something that one likes to discuss
• to hold your horses = to do something more slowly
• to change horses in midstream = to transfer one's preference for somebody to another in the middle of an undertaking
• to close the stable door after the horse has bolted = try to prevent something when it is too late
• to put the cart before the horse = to reverse the logical order
• a Trojan horse = something that looks normal but hides somebody's real intentions
• never look a gift horse in the mouth = a caballo regalado no se le miran los dientes
• a nod is as good as a wink (to a blind horse) = a hint or suggestion can be understood without being explicitly stated
• straight from the horse's mouth = from a reliable source = de buena fuente
• you can take a horse to water, but you can't make him drink = you can give a person the chance to do something, but he may still refuse to do it
• a dark horse = someone mysterious, who doesn't tell others about himself, but has surprising abilites or qualities
• a horse of a different color (US) = something that is completely different = harina de otro costal

 

 

PIG

• pigs might fly = expression used to say that you do not believe that something will happen
• to buy a pig in a poke = to buy something that is not as good as you thought = comprar gato por liebre
• to make a pig of oneself = to eat a lot = comer en gran cantidad, darse un atracón
• to make a pig's ear of something  = to make something very badly = hacer algo mal, como la mona
• a guinea pig = somebody used in a scientific test = un conejillo de las Indias
• to pig out = to eat a lot all at once 
• to sweat like a pig = to sweat a lot
• to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear = to make something good out of something that is bad quality

RAT

• to smell a rat = to guess that something wrong is happening = oler a gato encerrado
• the rat race = competition to keep one's position in work/life
• like rats leaving/deserting the sinking ship = expression used to describe people who leave a place when it is in trouble
• like a drowned rat = soaking wet and miserable
• a pack rat = somebody who collects things that he does not need
• hunt with cats and you catch only rats = you should choose you allies wisely

 

SHEEP - LAMB - MUTTON

• to separate the sheep from the goats = to distinguish good people from bad people
• a wolf in sheep's clothing = somebody who appears friendly or harmless but is really an enemy
• like sheep = easily influenced by others
• to count sheep = to imagine sheep jumping over a fence and count them, as a way of getting to sleep
• every time the sheep bleats, it loses a mouthful = oveja que bala, bocado pierde
• like a lamb (to the slaughter) = without realising that something dangerous is going to happen
• the black sheep (of the family) = somebody regarded as a failure or embarrassment
• as meek as a lamb = humble, obedient
• a mutton dressed as a lamb = older person wearing clothes made for younger people
• to make sheep's eyes at somebody = to look at somebody in a way that shows you love him
• God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb = Dios aprieta pero no ahoga

 

 

OTHERS

• donkey's years = a very long time
• donkey-work = the hard part of a job
• to talk the hind legs off a donkey = to talk a lot
• a scapegoat = chivo expiatorio
• a red herring = something that attracts people's attention
• to have a frog in one's throat = to have a phlem
• to have seen the lions = to have a lot of experience, to have seen everything
• to come out of one's shell = to become less shy
• to learn/say something parrot-fashion = to learn/say sth by heart, from memory
• a white elephant = possession that is useless and expensive to maintain
• to be a busy bee = to enjoy being busy or active
• to have a bee in one's bonnet (about something) = to be obsessed, mad with something
• to have bats in the belfry = to be eccentric or insane
• monkey business/tricks = dishonest or bad behaviour
• brass monkey weather = very cold weather
• to make a monkey out of somebody = to make somebody look stupid
• to have ants in one's pants = to be very restless
• to be a bookworm = to like reading; ser un ratón de biblioteca
• to be mad as a March hare = to be completely mad
• to be packed like sardines = estar como sardinas enlatadas
• to shed crocodile tears = llorar lágrimas de cocodrilo
• to be like a bear with a sore head = be rude, in a bad mood
• to be eagle-eyed = be very good at seeing or noticing things.

• bag and baggage = with all your possessions. Mary got tired of living with her boyfriend so she decided to move, bag and baggage.
• bits and pieces = small things. I didn't hear everything he said, just some bits and pieces.
• body and soul = physical and mental energy. Jim loves learning a new language, he puts body and soul into it.
• bread and butter = way of earning money to live. Thomas doesn't have much money, he earns his bread and butter as a teacher.
• bricks and mortar = property, buildings. If you want to invest your money, I would advise you to put it into bricks and mortar.
• give and take = compromise. We can reach an agreement with a bit of give and take from both sides.
• hustle and bustle = hurried activity. I don't like living in the city centre, it's all hustle and bustle.
• ifs and buts = excuses. No ifs and buts, just finish your homework and then you can go to play with the computer.
• odds and ends = small things. I've almost finished this work, but there are still some odds and ends I have to deal with.
• part and parcel = part. All those information programmes on TV are part and parcel of a campaign to destabilize the new government.
• rack and ruin = in bad conditions. This is a nice neighbourhood, but it's a shame that these old buildings are going rack and ruin.
• stuff and nonsense = foolish things. Oh, no, he was not fired! That's all stuff and nonsense!
• touch and go = close to success and failure at the same time. After the accident, he's in a critical situation, the doctor said it's touch and go.
• ups and downs = good and bad moments. Don't panic, in a married couple there are always ups and downs.
• wear and tear = deterioration. Go change those clothes! Those can't stand any more wear and tear!

• by and large = in general. I guess the team played quite well, by and large.
• chapter and verse = with a lot of details. The teacher gave them chapter and verse about where to find the information.
• far and wide = everywhere. She tried far and wide to find the keys but she couldn't. She had to take a taxi instead.
• first and foremost = most important. First and foremost, I would like to thank you all for this welcome.
• forgive and forget = forget enmity. Let's be friends again, I'm sorry for what I've done, but you have to forgive and forget.
• free and easy = relaxed, friendly. She knew that life wouldn't be so free and easy at work.
• hit and miss = random. I don't know how to operate this machine, it's just a question of hit and miss for me!
• live and learn = become wiser. You trusted her and she deceived you. You live and learn, so don't get fooled again.
• in and out = entering and leaving a place. The boss has been in and out all day, to see if the employees were working.
• loud and clear = very clearly. Even though he was 400km away, I could hear him loud and clear on the telephone line.
• now and again = occasionally. They like to go to a concert now and again.
• on and off = not all the time, at irregular intervals. It's been raining on and off all day, I hate this kind of weather.
• over and out = message used to end a radio communication. Understood. Over and out.
• sink or swim = be successful or fail. This a very difficult job, you have to be careful. It's really sink or swim.
• up and about = in good health. After the accident, he recovered very well, he's now up and about.
• wait and see = wait patiently. We don't know if this government will be able to put his plans into practice. We have to wait and see.

• by and by = soon, in a while from now. By and by they came to an enchanted place.
• chapter and verse = with a lot of details. The teacher gave them chapter and verse about where to find the information.
• cheap and cheerful = simple, not expensive and of reasonable quality. This is really a cheap and cheerful Greek restaurant.
• cloak-and-dagger = secret and mysterious. It was a cloak-and-dagger operation in which several spies were involved.
• down-and-out = having no money. He's a down-and-out actor now.
• free and easy = relaxed, friendly. She knew that life wouldn't be so free and easy at work.
• in dribs and drabs = in small amounts or numbers. The public arrived in dribs and drabs.
• in leaps and bounds = very quickly. My English is improving in leaps and bounds.
• prim and proper = correct and very formal. She's a very prim and proper lady.
• ranting and raving = shouting in an angry way. Please stop ranting and raving and listen to me!
• skin and bone = extremely thin. She's really skin and bone, she doesn't need to go on a diet anymore.
• spick and span = completely clean and tidy. Her room is always spick and span.
• the length and breadth of some place = all over the place. Police searched the length and breadth of the town.
• thick and fast = happening very frequently, in large amounts. Letters for the contest arrived thick and fast.
• to be at somebody's beck and call = be ready to do what somebody wants. She got tired of being at his beck and call.
• to blow hot and cold = keep changing one's attitude towards something. Now he agrees but I'm sure that later he'll disagree; he always blows hot and cold.
• to believe something hook, line and sinker = believe a lie completely. Paul explained her why he was late and she believed it hook, line and sinker.
• to risk/sacrifice life and limb = to risk/sacrifice one's life and health. She risked life and limb travelling to distant communities to help the poor.
• to search high and low = search all over the place. Police searched high and low for the burglars.