Idioms Related to Animals

Animal idioms are common in English. They make your speech fun and colorful. These idioms do not mean exactly what the words say. They have hidden meanings. Let’s learn them in an easy and simple way.

What is an Idiom?

👉 An idiom is a group of words with a special meaning.
👉 The meaning is different from the meaning of each word.

Example:

“It’s raining cats and dogs”
→ It means: It’s raining very heavily.

Common Animal Idioms with Meanings and Examples

Here is a table to help you understand 10 popular animal idioms:

Idiom	Easy Meaning	Example Sentence
A wild goose chase	A useless or pointless task	We went on a wild goose chase looking for his lost pen.
Let the cat out of the bag	Share a secret by mistake	He let the cat out of the bag about her birthday party.
Busy as a bee	Very active and hardworking	My mom is always busy as a bee in the kitchen.
Snake in the grass	A secret enemy or betrayer	Be careful of him, he’s a snake in the grass.
Hold your horses	Wait or be patient	Hold your horses, we’re not leaving yet!
Birds of a feather	People with similar interests	They are birds of a feather, always together.
Like a fish out of water	Feeling uncomfortable or out of place	I felt like a fish out of water at the new school.
Cry wolf	To lie or give a false alarm	Don’t cry wolf if there’s no danger.
The lion’s share	The biggest part of something	He took the lion’s share of the pizza.
Eagle eye	Very sharp vision or careful look	The teacher has an eagle eye for cheating.

Idioms Related to Animals

1. A wild goose chase
Meaning: A useless or hopeless search
Example: We went on a wild goose chase looking for his toy.

2. Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: To reveal a secret
Example: She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.

3. Busy as a bee
Meaning: Very active and hardworking
Example: My sister is busy as a bee preparing for her exams.

4. Snake in the grass
Meaning: A secret enemy or betrayer
Example: He acted friendly, but he was a snake in the grass.

5. Hold your horses
Meaning: Be patient or wait
Example: Hold your horses, we’re not ready yet!

6. Birds of a feather
Meaning: People who are alike
Example: Those two are birds of a feather, always together.

7. Like a fish out of water
Meaning: Feeling uncomfortable
Example: I felt like a fish out of water in the new city.

8. Cry wolf
Meaning: Raise a false alarm
Example: He cried wolf too many times; now no one believes him.

9. The lion’s share
Meaning: The largest part
Example: She got the lion’s share of the money.

10. Eagle eye
Meaning: Sharp vision or close attention
Example: The teacher has an eagle eye for mistakes.

11. Chicken out
Meaning: To get scared and back out
Example: He wanted to try the roller coaster but chickened out.

12. Pig out
Meaning: Eat too much
Example: We pigged out on pizza at the party.

13. Wolf down
Meaning: Eat very quickly
Example: He wolfed down his lunch in two minutes.

14. Ants in your pants
Meaning: Unable to sit still
Example: The kids had ants in their pants during the class.

15. Dog tired
Meaning: Very tired
Example: I was dog-tired after the long walk.

16. Catnap
Meaning: A short sleep
Example: I took a quick catnap before the meeting.

17. Go to the dogs
Meaning: Become worse or ruined
Example: This place has gone to the dogs since the new owner came.

18. Monkey business
Meaning: Silly or dishonest behavior
Example: Stop the monkey business and focus on your homework.

19. Bull in a china shop
Meaning: A clumsy person
Example: He walked in like a bull in a china shop and broke a vase.

20. Top dog
Meaning: A person in charge or the best one
Example: She’s the top dog in her company now.

More Easy Animal Idioms

➡️ Chicken out – To be scared and not do something
➡️ Pig out – To eat a lot
➡️ Wolf down – To eat quickly
➡️ Ants in your pants – Can’t sit still
➡️ Dog tired – Very tired

Practice Sentences

Try to use these idioms in your daily life. Here are some examples:

After work, I was dog tired.
She wolfed down the sandwich in one minute!
I chickened out before giving the speech.

FAQs – Animal Idioms for English Learners

Q1: Are animal idioms only used in speaking?
→ No, they are used in writing too.

Q2: Do idioms have the same meaning in all languages?
→ Not always. Idioms are different in each language.

Q3: How can I learn them easily?
→ Use flashcards, daily practice, and short stories.

Animal idioms are easy and fun to learn. They help you speak English like a native. Start with 2-3 idioms, and use them daily. You will get better with time.

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