TESOL/Animal idioms

By using concealed cameras, fly on the wall television programmes or films show people doing what they normally do every day. Big Brother is a good example of this type of reality TV programme. We use the expression "fly on the wall" because if a fly settles on your wall at home, you do not normally notice it. We use many animal idioms in English. Here are a selection of those involving both larger and smaller animals. How many of these do you know?

quiz
{The ________ of the Eighties and Nineties is unlikely to return for some time. - lion's share + bull market - stag night - donkey work
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to the majority of something.
 * Correct! This refers to a situation where the price of shares on the stock market are rising.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to a social/drinking evening for the groom's male friends prior to a wedding.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to manual labor or routine jobs.

{I decided to ________ and tell him he was upsetting Jane. + take the bull by the horns - flog a dead horse - do the donkey work - could eat a horse
 * type="[]"}
 * Correct! This means to face up to a problem instead of avoiding it.
 * Incorrect. This idiom means to waste time on something unlikely to be successful.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to manual labor or routine jobs.
 * Incorrect. This idiom means to be very hungry.

{If you tell him to take it easy, he'll sit back and let you ________. - take the bull by the horns + do the donkey work - flog a dead horse - bull market
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This means to face up to a problem instead of avoiding it.
 * Correct! This refers to manual labor or routine jobs.
 * Incorrect. This idiom means to waste time on something unlikely to be successful.
 * Incorrect. This refers to a situation where the price of shares on the stock market are rising.

{Invest in shares and the chances are you'll ________. - take the bull by the horns + flog a dead horse - do the donkey work - bull market
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This means to face up to a problem instead of avoiding it.
 * Correct! This means to waste time on something unlikely to be successful.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to manual labor or routine jobs.
 * Incorrect. This refers to a situation where the price of shares on the stock market are rising.

{The ________ of her money - over 80% - went to her nephews and nieces. + lion's share - flog a dead horse - do the donkey work - bull market
 * type="[]"}
 * Correct! This refers to the majority of something.
 * Incorrect. This idiom means to waste time on something unlikely to be successful.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to manual labor or routine jobs.
 * Incorrect. This refers to a situation where the price of shares on the stock market are rising.

{I'm having my ________ on the same day as my Sue is having her hen night. - lion's share - flog a dead horse + stag night - bull market
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to the majority of something.
 * Incorrect. This idiom means to waste time on something unlikely to be successful.
 * Correct! This refers to a social/drinking evening for the groom's male friends prior to a wedding.
 * Incorrect. This refers to a situation where the price of shares on the stock market are rising.

{I skipped breakfast so now I ________. - lion's share - flog a dead horse - stag night + could eat a horse
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to the majority of something.
 * Incorrect. This idiom means to waste time on something unlikely to be successful.
 * Incorrect. This refers to a social/drinking evening for the groom's male friends prior to a wedding.
 * Correct! This means to be very hungry.

quiz
{Which idiom means "earn enough to buy food and other essentials"? - dog tired + keep the wolf from the door - let sleeping dogs lie - dog days
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This idiom means "very tired".
 * Correct! This idiom means to earn enough to buy food and other essentials.
 * Incorrect. This idiom means "not interfere; not mention something that could cause trouble".
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to very hot days.

{Which idiom means "very tired"? + dog tired - let the cat out of the bag - cat nap - raining cats and dogs
 * type="[]"}
 * Correct! This idiom means "very tired".
 * Incorrect. This idiom means "reveal a secret".
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to a short sleep.
 * Incorrect. This idiom means "raining heavily".

{Which idiom means "not interfere; not mention something that could cause trouble"? - smell a rat - cat nap + let sleeping dogs lie - keep the wolf from the door
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This idiom means "sense that something is wrong".
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to a short sleep.
 * Correct! This idiom means "not interfere; not mention something that could cause trouble".
 * Incorrect. This idiom means "earn enough to buy food and other essentials".

{Which idiom means "reveal a secret"? + let the cat out of the bag - dog days - smell a rat - keep the wolf from the door
 * type="[]"}
 * Correct! This idiom means "reveal a secret".
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to very hot days.
 * Incorrect. This idiom means "sense that something is wrong".
 * Incorrect. This idiom means "earn enough to buy food and other essentials".

{Which idiom means "raining heavily"? - cat nap + raining cats and dogs - dog tired - let sleeping dogs lie
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to a short sleep.
 * Correct! This idiom means "raining heavily".
 * Incorrect. This idiom means "very tired".
 * Incorrect. This idiom means "not interfere; not mention something that could cause trouble".

{Which idiom means "sense that something is wrong"? + smell a rat - let the cat out of the bag - dog days - cat nap
 * type="[]"}
 * Correct! This idiom means "sense that something is wrong".
 * Incorrect. This idiom means "reveal a secret".
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to very hot days.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to a short sleep.

quiz
{What does the idiom "a wild goose chase" mean? - a search for wild geese + a search that has no chance of success - a search for something valuable - a search that is very easy
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This is a literal interpretation, not the idiomatic meaning.
 * Correct! This idiom refers to a futile or hopeless search.
 * Incorrect. This idiom doesn't refer to the value of the search.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to a difficult or impossible search.

{What does the idiom "up with the lark" mean? - to be with a bird + awake early - to be very active - to be very lazy
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This is a literal interpretation, not the idiomatic meaning.
 * Correct! This idiom refers to waking up early in the morning.
 * Incorrect. This idiom specifically refers to waking up early.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to the opposite of being lazy.

{What does the idiom "chicken out" mean? - to eat chicken + stop participating in something which is too dangerous or difficult - to be very brave - to be very foolish
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This is a literal interpretation, not the idiomatic meaning.
 * Correct! This idiom refers to backing out of a situation due to fear or apprehension.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to the opposite of being brave.
 * Incorrect. This idiom doesn't refer to foolishness.

{What does the idiom "a fish out of water" mean? - a fish that is outside water + uncomfortable - a fish that is very special - a fish that is very common
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This is a literal interpretation, not the idiomatic meaning.
 * Correct! This idiom refers to feeling out of place or uncomfortable in a particular situation.
 * Incorrect. This idiom doesn't refer to the value or uniqueness of the fish.
 * Incorrect. This idiom doesn't refer to the commonality of the fish.

{What does the idiom "a cold fish" mean? - a fish that is frozen + unemotional - a fish that is very tasty - a fish that is very rare
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This is a literal interpretation, not the idiomatic meaning.
 * Correct! This idiom refers to someone who is perceived as lacking emotion or warmth.
 * Incorrect. This idiom doesn't refer to the taste of the fish.
 * Incorrect. This idiom doesn't refer to the rarity of the fish.

{What does the idiom "have other fish to fry" mean? - to cook multiple fish + have other things to do or more important matters to attend to - to be very busy with one task - to be very relaxed
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This is a literal interpretation, not the idiomatic meaning.
 * Correct! This idiom refers to having other priorities or tasks.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to having multiple tasks or priorities.
 * Incorrect. This idiom doesn't refer to relaxation.

quiz
{The trip will be amazing, but there's just one ________ that Sue can't drive. - difficulty in the journey + fly in the ointment - bee in the bonnet - bee's knees
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. Think of an idiom that relates to a small issue in an otherwise good situation.
 * Correct! This idiom means a difficulty which prevents total enjoyment.
 * Incorrect. This idiom means being obsessed with something.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to someone who is very clever and important.

{Even though he gets angry easily, he wouldn't ________. - hurt a bee + hurt a fly - be a busy bee - have a bee in his bonnet
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. Think of a gentler creature.
 * Correct! This idiom means someone is gentle.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to a very busy person.
 * Incorrect. This idiom means being obsessed with something.

{Jacob is very sharp. There are ________. - bees in his bonnet - flies in his ointment + no flies on him - none of the bees' knees
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This idiom means being obsessed with something.
 * Incorrect. This idiom means a difficulty which prevents total enjoyment.
 * Correct! This idiom means someone is alert and clever, not easy to deceive.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to someone who is very clever and important.

{She's always working on something. She's such a ________. + busy bee - fly in the ointment - bee in her bonnet - bee's knees
 * type="[]"}
 * Correct! This idiom refers to a very busy person.
 * Incorrect. This idiom means a difficulty which prevents total enjoyment.
 * Incorrect. This idiom means being obsessed with something.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to someone who is very clever and important.

{She can't stop talking about the health benefits of raw fish. She's got a ________ about it. - fly in her ointment + bee in her bonnet - busy bee - bee's knees
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This idiom means a difficulty which prevents total enjoyment.
 * Correct! This idiom means being obsessed with something.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to a very busy person.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to someone who is very clever and important.

{With her impressive credentials, she believes she's the ________. - fly in the ointment - bee in her bonnet - busy bee + bee's knees
 * type="[]"}
 * Incorrect. This idiom means a difficulty which prevents total enjoyment.
 * Incorrect. This idiom means being obsessed with something.
 * Incorrect. This idiom refers to a very busy person.
 * Correct! This idiom refers to someone who is very clever and important.

Resources

 * http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish