From everyday expressions to timeless clichés, countless phrases draw inspiration from the animal kingdom. These phrases not only reflect our admiration for animals but also reveal how deeply they are woven into our history, humor, and imagination.
Whether you’re a devoted animal lover, a language enthusiast, or simply curious about the origins of everyday expressions, this collection of animal-inspired phrases will give you a deeper appreciation of their meanings and origins.
Animal Phrases Categorized By Type of Animal
Random Animal Phrases
Turn Turtle
Meaning: To flip over or capsize, particularly referring to boats or ships overturning so that their hulls face upward, like a turtle lying on its back.
Example: The raft turned turtle as the river’s strong current pulled it into the rapids.
Put Out Some Feelers
Meaning: To discreetly gather information or test opinions, often to gauge interest, reactions, or possibilities before making a decision or taking action.
Example: Before we finalize the deal, let’s put out some feelers to see if the market will respond positively.
Crazy as a Loon
Meaning: The phrase means someone is acting very strange, eccentric, or irrational, often in a humorous or exaggerated way.
Example: The neighbors think I’m crazy as a loon for planting a garden on my roof, but I think it’s genius!
Fox In the Henhouse
Meaning: An action that creates a significant threat or danger by placing a potential risk in a position of trust or access to something it is likely to harm.
Example: The board realized too late that appointing the rival CEO as a consultant was akin to inviting a fox in the henhouse.
Herding cats
Meaning: An impossible or extremely difficult task, particularly one involving trying to control or coordinate a group of people, activities, or elements that are inherently independent, chaotic, or unmanageable.
Example: Trying to coordinate everyone’s schedules for this meeting feels like herding cats.
Holy Cow
Meaning: An informal exclamation used to express surprise, amazement, or disbelief.
Example: Holy cow, did you see that car zoom by? It was going at least 100 miles per hour!
Stuffed to the Gills
Meaning: Being extremely full, often from eating too much.
Example: The buffet was so good that everyone left the restaurant stuffed to the gills.
Snake in the Grass
Meaning: Deceitful, treacherous, or untrustworthy, often pretending to be kind or harmless while secretly plotting harm or betrayal.
Example: The politician presented himself as a man of the people, but his actions proved he was nothing more than a snake in the grass.
Putting the Cat among the Pigeons
Meaning: To do or say something that causes a lot of trouble, confusion, or disturbance.
Example: Announcing that they were merging the two departments definitely put the cat among the pigeons among the employees.
Put lipstick on a pig
Meaning: The futility of trying to improve or beautify something fundamentally flawed or unattractive.
Example: Trying to dress up that failed policy as a success is like putting lipstick on a pig — everyone sees right through it
When Pigs Fly
When pigs fly is a humorous and exaggerated way to say that something is impossible or extremely unlikely to happen.
Examples:
- “I’ll believe he’ll clean his room when pigs fly!”
- “Do you think he’ll ever apologize? Maybe when pigs fly.”
Play the Ponies
Meaning: To bet or gamble on horse races. The phrase suggests taking part in a form of betting where the outcome is uncertain, often used in a light-hearted or casual context.
Example:
- “He likes to play the ponies every weekend, hoping to win big.”
- “I don’t have the luck for playing the ponies, but I enjoy watching the races.”
Snake Oil Salesman
Meaning: A person who deceives others, typically by selling fraudulent or worthless products or making false promises. It originates from 19th-century America, where traveling salesmen claimed to sell “snake oil” as a miracle cure, which was usually ineffective or fake.
Example:
- “That investment opportunity sounds too good to be true; don’t fall for a snake oil salesman.”
- “Beware of snake oil salesmen trying to sell fake solutions to complex problems.”
Monkey Around
Meaning: To behave in a silly, playful, or careless manner, often wasting time or not being serious. It can also imply engaging in minor mischief or fooling around instead of focusing on what needs to be done.
Examples:
- “Stop monkeying around and get back to work!”
- “We spent the afternoon monkeying around with the old car, trying to get it to start.”