Animal idioms

A barking dog never bites

• Work hard doing something.

• Pull something out of a place

• Said to advise someone not to refuse something good that is being offered

• Someone who regularly makes angry or threatening statements rarely acts upon them.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

• You can give someone an opportunity but not force them to take it

• It is better to keep sth that you already have than to risk losing it by trying to get much more

• Inform on someone to a person in a position of authority

• Used to tell someone to stop and carefully consider their decision or opinion about something

A dog is a man´s best friends

• Inform on someone to a person in a position of authority.

• Said to mean that it is very difficult to teach someone new skills or to change their habits or character

• Is more faithful than most other animals — and more faithful than many people

• Leave quickly and unannounced

A fly on the wall

• Someone who regularly makes angry or threatening statements rarely acts upon them

• Leave quickly and unannounced

• A person who watches others without being noticed

• Those with similar interests or of the same kind tend to form groups

A frog in the throat

• Use someone, or cling to s.o for personal gain, often not giving anything in return

• Something you say to someone when you are annoyed because they will not speak

• Difficulty speaking because your throat feels dry

• Said to advise someone not to refuse something good that is being offered

As busy as a bee

• Turn upside down: to flip over

• Stash, hide or hoard something for future use

• To be moving about quickly doing many things

• Said to advise someone not to refuse something good that is being offered

As happy as a clam / lark

• Eat a lot of food at once

• Play in a loud / rough play

• Leave quickly and unannounced

• Very happy

Beaver away

• Continue talking about something that is not interesting to the person your are talking to

• Work hard doing something

• To discover information by searching for it in a determined away

• Pull something out of a place

Birds of a feather flock together

• Those with similar interests or of the same kind tend to form groups

• You can give someone an opportunity but not force them to take it

• Said to mean that it is very difficult to teach someone new skills or to change their habits or character

• Inform on someone to a person in a position of authority

Chicken out

• Draw or manipulate information out of someone

• Not do something because you are afraid

• Ask for or try to get something in and indirect way 

• Use someone, or cling to s.o for personal gain, often not giving anything in return