A Fish Out Of Water & 9 Other Animal Idioms

Here are some commonly used idioms that you can use to make your English sound more natural and less like a textbook.

to be like a fish out of water Someone who feels like a fish out of water is in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable situation.

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as sick as a dog 

• How to use it: [someone] is as sick as a dog
• Explanation: Someone who is as sick as a dog is very sick.
• Example: Bob was as sick as a dog because he caught the flu.

cat got one’s tongue

• How to use it: the cat got [someone’s] tongue
• Explanation: When the cat got your tongue, you are unable to speak.
• Example: Jim was pretty quite at the party, so I asked him if the the cat had gotten his tongue.

dog days of summer

• How to use it: [we say this about hot summer weather] These are the dog days of summer
• Explanation: The dog days of summer are the hottest days in the summer.
• Example: I’m getting tired of the dog days of summer.

drink like a fish

• How to use it: [someone] drinks like a fish
• Explanation: When you drink like a fish, you drink a large amount of alcoholic drinks.
• Example: Cathy’s a nice person, but she drinks like a fish.

green around the gills

• How to use it: [someone] is green around the gills
• Explanation: Someone who is green around the gills is ill.
• Example: Joe looked a little green around the gills so the boss sent him home.

lock horns

• How to use it: [two people] lock horns
• Explanation: When you lock horns with someone you argue intensly.
• Example: Tom and his wife locked horns about the household budget again.

night owl

• How to use it: [someone] is a night owl
• Explanation: Someone who is a night owl likes to stay up very late at night and sleep during the day.
• Example: Kathy is a night owl, so she is usually on Skype until 3am.

party animal

• How to use it: [someone] is a party animal
• Explanation: Someone who is a party animal really enoys going to clubs and bars, drinking and having fun.
• Example: Jane is a real party animal. She’s been out late every night this week!

stuffed to the gills

• How to use it: [someone] is stuffed to the gills
• Explanation: When you are stuffed to the gills, you have eaten a lot of food.
• Example: I was stuffed to the gills after eating the pizza, but it was yummy!

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