Match each word or phrase in the first column with the word or phrase in the second column that produces a...

language/english/meaning/animal.proverbs New

New entry, edited from material collected for the archive and not yet in a released version.

Problem

Match each word or phrase in the first column with the word or phrase in
the second column that produces a proverb or idiom.

1.  A barking dog                   a. the dogs.
2.  Never look a gift horse         b. out of the bag.
3.  Curiosity killed                c. but you can't make him drink
4.  Dog-ea                          d. lie.
5.  You can't teach an old dog      e. never bites.
6.  Let sleeping dogs               f. new tricks.
7.  When the cat's away             g. of a different color.
8.  Let the cat                     h. horses.
9.  There's more than one way       i. hog.
10. It's raining                    j. dog.
11. You may lead a horse to water   k. to skin a cat.
12. Go to                           l. in the mouth.
13. Go whole                        m. the mice will play.
14. Hold your                       n. cats and dogs.
15. That's a horse                  o. the cat.

-- U. S. Information Service, American English & Culture page (USIS
   English Language Office, Moscow, 1996)

Show solution

1.e; 2.l; 3.o; 4.j; 5.f; 6.d; 7.m; 8.b; 9.k; 10.n; 11.c; 12.a; 13.i;
14.h; 15.g

[ Editor: the same page also listed these animal similes and
expressions: ]

Similes:

busy as a bee, blind as a bat, hungry as a bear, busy as a beaver, free
as a bird, happy as a clam, sick as a dog, smart as a fox, innocent as a
lamb, happy as a lark, quiet as a mouse, stubborn as a mule, wise as an
owl, strong as an ox, proud as a peacock

Fun expressions:

go ape over something: (slang) to be extremely enthusiastic about
  something
eager beaver: a person who is excessively diligent or overly zealous
for the birds: (slang) useless or worthless; not to be taken seriously
chicken out: (slang) to lose one's courage and avoid doing something
  because one is afraid
clam up: (slang) to refuse to talk or reply; refrain from divulging
  information
eat crow: (informal) to be forced to admit to having made a mistake; to
  have to retract a statement, humiliatingly
like water off a duck's back: having little or no effect
white elephant: a possession unwanted by the owner but difficult to
  dispose of; something disproportionately expensive with regard to its
  usefulness or value
ferret something out: to search out, discover, or bring to light
wild-goose chase: an absurd or hopeless search for something nonexistent
  or unobtainable

-- U. S. Information Service, American English & Culture page