Animal idioms
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a sly fox / to be as sly as a fox
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Someone who is very experienced and has acquired a lot of guile.
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to let sleeping dogs lie
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To leave well alone and refrain from starting trouble.
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You must have known that mentioning his ex-wife would upset him. You
should have let sleeping dogs lie.
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as stubborn as a mule
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someone who is unwilling to listen to reason or change his mind.
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a dark horse
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A person of unknown abilities or a person who has kept his abilities to
himself and may surprise everybody. This is a racing metaphor which says
that an unknown horse which could win the race unexpectedly.
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Who would have thought George would win the competition? He's a real
dark horse.
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no room to swing a cat
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A very small, cramped place. The original phrase was probably 'not room
to swing a cat-o'nine-tails', and dates from the time when sailors were
whipped (flogged) on ships. The floggings took place on the deck because
the cabins were too small.
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This room's not big enought to swing a cat in.
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to put/set the cat among the pigeons
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To provoke a quarrel.
You shouldn't have criticized the boss in your speech; now you've really
put the cat among the pigeons.
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a dog's-body
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One who does the routine or mechanical work, especially that which no
one else wants to do.
When I worked in the factory I was the dog's-body; I was given all the
worst jobs.
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as weak as a kitten
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Feeble, very weak, having no strength.
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After her operation she felt as weak as a kitten.
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