📚 Open a can of worms
✍🏾Meaning: Create a whole new set of problems
This phrase is often used when you try to solve a problem or answer a question, but you only create more problems or more questions.
Nobody is sure of the exact origin of this idiom, but some people believe it came from a time when fisherman bought canned worms for bait. They would bring the worms to the fishing site, but if they knocked the can over, they had a whole new problem of catching their bait.
Some also believe that “can of worms” is a modern version of the idiom, “Pandora’s box.” Pandora’s box comes from an old myth, and it also means to create a new set of problems.
Example: You’ve opened a real can of worms here.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
✍🏾Meaning: Create a whole new set of problems
This phrase is often used when you try to solve a problem or answer a question, but you only create more problems or more questions.
Nobody is sure of the exact origin of this idiom, but some people believe it came from a time when fisherman bought canned worms for bait. They would bring the worms to the fishing site, but if they knocked the can over, they had a whole new problem of catching their bait.
Some also believe that “can of worms” is a modern version of the idiom, “Pandora’s box.” Pandora’s box comes from an old myth, and it also means to create a new set of problems.
Example: You’ve opened a real can of worms here.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
📚The world is your oyster
✍🏾Meaning: You have many good opportunities in front of you
It’s not easy to open an oyster. Finding opportunities in the world is like opening an oyster, meaning it’s not easy.
Sometimes, when you open an oyster, you’ll find a pearl. When you say that “the world is your oyster,” you have a positive outlook about the opportunities in front of you. If you have an oyster in your hands, it could contain a beautiful treasure that belongs completely to you.
Example: You just graduated from a wonderful university, so the world is your oyster!
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
✍🏾Meaning: You have many good opportunities in front of you
It’s not easy to open an oyster. Finding opportunities in the world is like opening an oyster, meaning it’s not easy.
Sometimes, when you open an oyster, you’ll find a pearl. When you say that “the world is your oyster,” you have a positive outlook about the opportunities in front of you. If you have an oyster in your hands, it could contain a beautiful treasure that belongs completely to you.
Example: You just graduated from a wonderful university, so the world is your oyster!
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
📚Watching like a hawk
✍🏾Meaning: Watching something very, very, closely
Children often hear this idiom from a parent or other caregiver, “I’m watching you like a hawk.”
It’s often used to make sure that someone or something doesn’t misbehave or make a mistake.
Example: The boss watches us like a hawk.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
✍🏾Meaning: Watching something very, very, closely
Children often hear this idiom from a parent or other caregiver, “I’m watching you like a hawk.”
It’s often used to make sure that someone or something doesn’t misbehave or make a mistake.
Example: The boss watches us like a hawk.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
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📚white coat hypertension
✍🏾A phenomenon in which a patient experiences elevated blood pressure around medical professionals.
A: "I swear, I didn't feel dizzy until the doctor came in." B: "Hmm, sounds like a case of white coat hypertension to me."
➕ @IdiomsLand
✍🏾A phenomenon in which a patient experiences elevated blood pressure around medical professionals.
A: "I swear, I didn't feel dizzy until the doctor came in." B: "Hmm, sounds like a case of white coat hypertension to me."
➕ @IdiomsLand
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📚wide berth
✍🏾A good distance (between things, people, etc.). Originally referred to ships.
🔺Once I learned that there was a lice outbreak, I kept a wide berth from all of my students for the rest of the day.
🔺We've been keeping a wide berth from John ever since he dumped our good friend.
@IdiomsLand
✍🏾A good distance (between things, people, etc.). Originally referred to ships.
🔺Once I learned that there was a lice outbreak, I kept a wide berth from all of my students for the rest of the day.
🔺We've been keeping a wide berth from John ever since he dumped our good friend.
@IdiomsLand
📚Mad as a hornet (USA)
✍🏾Meaning: Very angry, or furious
A hornet is a type of wasp. When it gets angry, it can do a lot of damage, cause pain and generally be dangerous. If someone is saying that they’re as mad as a hornet, then they’re warning you to look out. While the term “mad as a hornet” is popular in the United States, other English-speaking countries and cultures often say something similar.
In the Southern region of the United States where farming was (and in some places still is) a major industry, people used to say the idiom “mad as a wet hen,” describing the anger a hen would have if you stole her eggs.
Example: Mom was as mad as a hornet when we broke the mirror.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
✍🏾Meaning: Very angry, or furious
A hornet is a type of wasp. When it gets angry, it can do a lot of damage, cause pain and generally be dangerous. If someone is saying that they’re as mad as a hornet, then they’re warning you to look out. While the term “mad as a hornet” is popular in the United States, other English-speaking countries and cultures often say something similar.
In the Southern region of the United States where farming was (and in some places still is) a major industry, people used to say the idiom “mad as a wet hen,” describing the anger a hen would have if you stole her eggs.
Example: Mom was as mad as a hornet when we broke the mirror.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
📚Dog eat dog
✍🏾Meaning: Very competitive
When you use this idiom, you’re saying that the competition is so stiff (intense) that people will do anything to get ahead, even if it means hurting someone. “Dog eat dog” may be used to describe a situation, a school, a company or an industry.
The exact origin varies. It may have come from similar phrases used in English writings from a long time ago. For example, one similar phrase was used in a 16th century Latin proverb which says “dog does not eat dog.”
Example: It’s a dog eat dog world out there.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
✍🏾Meaning: Very competitive
When you use this idiom, you’re saying that the competition is so stiff (intense) that people will do anything to get ahead, even if it means hurting someone. “Dog eat dog” may be used to describe a situation, a school, a company or an industry.
The exact origin varies. It may have come from similar phrases used in English writings from a long time ago. For example, one similar phrase was used in a 16th century Latin proverb which says “dog does not eat dog.”
Example: It’s a dog eat dog world out there.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
📚Eagle eyes
✍🏾Meaning: Have excellent vision, or watching something very closely, not missing a detail
This animal idiom is similar to “watching like a hawk,” but when someone says “eagle eye,” they may not be referring to catching someone in the act of doing something wrong. If you have an eagle eye, it means that nothing gets past you because you are very focused on details.
Example: The teacher goes over the tests with an eagle eye.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
✍🏾Meaning: Have excellent vision, or watching something very closely, not missing a detail
This animal idiom is similar to “watching like a hawk,” but when someone says “eagle eye,” they may not be referring to catching someone in the act of doing something wrong. If you have an eagle eye, it means that nothing gets past you because you are very focused on details.
Example: The teacher goes over the tests with an eagle eye.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
📚I’ll be a monkey’s uncle
✍🏾Meaning: I’m very surprised
This idiom is used as a complete phrase. People often use this when something happens that they didn’t expect. It’s used in a lighthearted or comical way. Another idiom, “you could have knocked me over with a feather” has a similar meaning.
Example: Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. I never thought I’d pass that test.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms+
✍🏾Meaning: I’m very surprised
This idiom is used as a complete phrase. People often use this when something happens that they didn’t expect. It’s used in a lighthearted or comical way. Another idiom, “you could have knocked me over with a feather” has a similar meaning.
Example: Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. I never thought I’d pass that test.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms+
📚Let sleeping dogs lie
✍🏾Meaning: Leave it alone, leave something in peace
You’ll find that dogs show up in a lot of English idioms, as they’re very common to our culture. When someone tells you to “let sleeping dogs lie,” they’re telling you to let things be. Often, you’re in a situation that you can’t change, so you should just leave it alone and in peace, like a sleeping dog.
It’s also used to tell someone to stay out of a situation that’s none of their business.
Example: I’m not telling the boss about Mark’s problem, it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
✍🏾Meaning: Leave it alone, leave something in peace
You’ll find that dogs show up in a lot of English idioms, as they’re very common to our culture. When someone tells you to “let sleeping dogs lie,” they’re telling you to let things be. Often, you’re in a situation that you can’t change, so you should just leave it alone and in peace, like a sleeping dog.
It’s also used to tell someone to stay out of a situation that’s none of their business.
Example: I’m not telling the boss about Mark’s problem, it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
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📚wit's end
✍🏾A state of distress that is reached when someone has no more patience. Often used in the phrase "at wit's end" or "at (one's) wit's end.
🔺" The baby's been crying for hours, and I've reached my wit's end!
🔺I'm already at wit's end, so if this train gets delayed too, I'm going to scream.
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✍🏾A state of distress that is reached when someone has no more patience. Often used in the phrase "at wit's end" or "at (one's) wit's end.
🔺" The baby's been crying for hours, and I've reached my wit's end!
🔺I'm already at wit's end, so if this train gets delayed too, I'm going to scream.
@IdiomsLand
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📚with all (one's) might
✍🏾Utilizing all of one's power and strength to do something.
I pulled at the rope with all my might, but we still lost the tug-of-war.
I swear, your dog pulls at these toys with all his might.
He'll drag us through the yard one day!
@IdiomsLand
✍🏾Utilizing all of one's power and strength to do something.
I pulled at the rope with all my might, but we still lost the tug-of-war.
I swear, your dog pulls at these toys with all his might.
He'll drag us through the yard one day!
@IdiomsLand
📚HASTE MAKES WASTE
✍🏾Meaning
if you do things too quickly, you can make mistakes
hurrying will result in poor endings
you will make mistakes if you are too hasty
rushing through things causes errors, resulting in time, efforts, resources, etc being wasted
doing things too quickly will result in bad finishing
❕Example Sentences
Try not to rush through things, even though you are in a hurry. After all, haste makes waste.
You need to check these files carefully. Do not try to finish them too quickly – remember, haste makes waste.
If you try to finish off your work in a hurry, you might end up making a lot of mistakes and then you would have to redo it. Haste makes waste, you know.
I’d rather miss the deadline and submit a good report than rush through it and make one full of errors. After all, haste makes waste.
Be careful while checking the papers. Haste makes waste, so check them thoroughly before submitting them.
➕Origin
The idea that haste is counterproductive is an ancient one and can be found in the Book of Wisdom in 190 BC. This exact phrase, however, occurs much later and the first recorded instance is in 1575. It is also found in John Ray’s 1678 proverb collection.
Source: theidioms.com
@IdiomsLand
✍🏾Meaning
if you do things too quickly, you can make mistakes
hurrying will result in poor endings
you will make mistakes if you are too hasty
rushing through things causes errors, resulting in time, efforts, resources, etc being wasted
doing things too quickly will result in bad finishing
❕Example Sentences
Try not to rush through things, even though you are in a hurry. After all, haste makes waste.
You need to check these files carefully. Do not try to finish them too quickly – remember, haste makes waste.
If you try to finish off your work in a hurry, you might end up making a lot of mistakes and then you would have to redo it. Haste makes waste, you know.
I’d rather miss the deadline and submit a good report than rush through it and make one full of errors. After all, haste makes waste.
Be careful while checking the papers. Haste makes waste, so check them thoroughly before submitting them.
➕Origin
The idea that haste is counterproductive is an ancient one and can be found in the Book of Wisdom in 190 BC. This exact phrase, however, occurs much later and the first recorded instance is in 1575. It is also found in John Ray’s 1678 proverb collection.
Source: theidioms.com
@IdiomsLand
📚Pet peeve
✍🏾Meaning: Common annoyance, something that’s specifically annoying to you
It’s usually not a major problem, they just wish it wouldn’t happen. Often it refers to a common habit that people around them do.
Pet peeves vary from person to person. What bothers one may not bother another. That’s the meaning of “pet peeve,” it’s your personal annoyance.
Example: I hate when people don’t put things back where they belong, it’s a pet peeve of mine.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
✍🏾Meaning: Common annoyance, something that’s specifically annoying to you
It’s usually not a major problem, they just wish it wouldn’t happen. Often it refers to a common habit that people around them do.
Pet peeves vary from person to person. What bothers one may not bother another. That’s the meaning of “pet peeve,” it’s your personal annoyance.
Example: I hate when people don’t put things back where they belong, it’s a pet peeve of mine.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
📚Puppy love
✍🏾Meaning: Feelings of love or affection, usually innocent and temporary, occurring during childhood or adolescence.
Other English-speaking cultures may have their variations, such as “calf love.” They often compare the love of children to young animals.
Example: I had a crush on my next door neighbor, but that was just puppy love.
@idiomsland #animal_idioms
✍🏾Meaning: Feelings of love or affection, usually innocent and temporary, occurring during childhood or adolescence.
Other English-speaking cultures may have their variations, such as “calf love.” They often compare the love of children to young animals.
Example: I had a crush on my next door neighbor, but that was just puppy love.
@idiomsland #animal_idioms
📚Pick of the litter
✍🏾Meaning: The best choice, or your favorite option
If you have the “pick of the litter” then you have top choice, or you can get the best in the group. This phrase goes back to the early 1900s. When dogs or cats produce offspring, the puppies or kittens are called a “litter.” To give someone the pick of the litter, you’re offering the best puppy or kitten.
Variations of this phrase include “pick of the basket” and “pick of the market.”
Example: All the boys want to take her on a date, she can have the pick of the litter.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
✍🏾Meaning: The best choice, or your favorite option
If you have the “pick of the litter” then you have top choice, or you can get the best in the group. This phrase goes back to the early 1900s. When dogs or cats produce offspring, the puppies or kittens are called a “litter.” To give someone the pick of the litter, you’re offering the best puppy or kitten.
Variations of this phrase include “pick of the basket” and “pick of the market.”
Example: All the boys want to take her on a date, she can have the pick of the litter.
@IdiomsLand #animal_Idioms
📚Like shooting fish in a barrel
✍🏾Meaning: Very easy to catch or trick
It can also mean a very easy task. This idiom goes back to the early 1900s. Think of how easy it would be to shoot fish in a barrel. It’s a given.
Example: I’m an expert in auto repair, fixing this is like shooting fish in a barrel.
@idiomsland #animal_idioms
✍🏾Meaning: Very easy to catch or trick
It can also mean a very easy task. This idiom goes back to the early 1900s. Think of how easy it would be to shoot fish in a barrel. It’s a given.
Example: I’m an expert in auto repair, fixing this is like shooting fish in a barrel.
@idiomsland #animal_idioms
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📚with (one's) head held high
✍🏾Displaying pride and confidence, often (but not always) after something has gone wrong.
Even though I knew I blew the presentation, I walked out of the conference room with my head held high… and then cried in my car.
After hearing that he had been named to the all-star team, Paul walked through the halls with his head held high.
@IdiomsLand
✍🏾Displaying pride and confidence, often (but not always) after something has gone wrong.
Even though I knew I blew the presentation, I walked out of the conference room with my head held high… and then cried in my car.
After hearing that he had been named to the all-star team, Paul walked through the halls with his head held high.
@IdiomsLand