Idioms and Expressions: High School: Idioms and Expressions, List 1

This list focuses on idioms and expressions that relate to animals.
10 words 190 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. southpaw
    a person who is left-handed
  2. gift horse
    a poor-quality present that should be accepted uncritically
    Mr. Clinton, never one to reject a gift horse, happily acceded. New York Times (May 28, 2011)
  3. wolf down
    eat quickly
    He wolfed down bread, butter, and a mushroom omelette. Gregor the Overlander
  4. rain cats and dogs
    rain heavily
    When it is raining hard on Earth, English speakers say it is raining cats and dogs. Salon (Mar 11, 2020)
  5. monkey around
    do random, unplanned work or activities; spend time idly
    Humans spend less time monkeying around as they get older, and according to a study published Thursday, so do monkeys. New York Times (Jun 23, 2016)
  6. play possum
    to pretend to be dead
    At first, I considered playing possum — not responding. Los Angeles Times (Jun 19, 2020)
  7. paper tiger
    an entity that appears powerful but is actually ineffectual
    "To talk but fail to act risks our nation being seen as little more than a paper tiger," he will add. BBC (Feb 10, 2019)
  8. eager beaver
    an alert and energetic person
    As for the bright, handsome eager beavers who excitedly troop off to a war they believe will end in a matter of weeks, they haven’t an inkling of the fate that awaits them. New York Times (Jun 4, 2015)
  9. squirrel away
    save up, as for future use
    “I’m a child of the Depression,” Weissenborn would remark decades later, whenever she would squirrel away money or leftovers. Washington Post (May 20, 2020)
  10. road hog
    a driver who obstructs others
    His tone is gentle, occasionally chiding, and he seems most comfortable in the center lane, allowing the road hogs to pass by while he holds steady at the wheel. New York Times (Apr 18, 2018)
Created on Tue Jun 03 13:46:23 EDT 2025

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