Pets are a big part of many people’s lives, and they often show up in the way we talk too! This post explores pet-related idioms—those quirky phrases that use pet animals to express ideas in fun and interesting ways. These idioms are easy to understand and can make our language more colorful.
Pet Idioms
Here are 20 pet idioms in English with meaning and example sentence for each.
1. Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: Reveal a secret accidentally
Example: He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
2. Raining cats and dogs
Meaning: Raining very heavily
Example: It’s raining cats and dogs; bring an umbrella!
3. Fight like cat and dog
Meaning: Argue violently
Example: They fight like cat and dog but are great friends.
4. Sick as a dog
Meaning: Very ill
Example: I stayed home because I was sick as a dog.
5. Like herding cats
Meaning: Very difficult to control
Example: Managing the toddlers was like herding cats.
6. Dog-eat-dog
Meaning: Highly competitive
Example: It’s a dog-eat-dog world in the finance sector.
7. Cat nap
Meaning: A short sleep
Example: I just need a quick cat nap to recharge.
8. Dog’s breakfast
Meaning: A mess or disaster
Example: The project was a complete dog’s breakfast.
9. Barking up the wrong tree
Meaning: Misguided or mistaken
Example: He’s barking up the wrong tree by blaming her.
10. Cat’s pajamas
Meaning: Something excellent
Example: This new car is the cat’s pajamas!
11. Dog tired
Meaning: Extremely tired
Example: After the hike, I was dog tired.
12. Curiosity killed the cat
Meaning: Being inquisitive can lead to harm
Example: Don’t snoop around; curiosity killed the cat.
13. Dogs of war
Meaning: Forces of conflict and war
Example: The dogs of war have been unleashed.
14. Cat got your tongue?
Meaning: Unable to speak
Example: What’s wrong, cat got your tongue?
15. Dog’s life
Meaning: A hard and unpleasant life
Example: He’s had a dog’s life, full of work and worry.
16. Cat on a hot tin roof
Meaning: Very nervous
Example: He was like a cat on a hot tin roof during the interview.
17. Puppy love
Meaning: Young and superficial love
Example: Their romance is just puppy love.
18. Tail wagging the dog
Meaning: Something small controlling something bigger
Example: In this case, it’s the tail wagging the dog.
19. The black dog
Meaning: Depression
Example: He’s been struggling with the black dog lately.
20. Like a bull in a china shop
Meaning: Clumsy and careless
Example: He’s like a bull in a china shop in the kitchen.
21. Pet project
Meaning: A project or task one greatly favors
Example: His new app is his pet project now.
22. Teacher’s pet
Meaning: A favorite student
Example: She’s always been the teacher’s pet.
23. Pet peeve
Meaning: An irritating experience
Example: Loud chewing is my pet peeve.
24. Pet-friendly
Meaning: Suitable for pets
Example: We booked a pet-friendly hotel.
25. Pet the dog
Meaning: To do or say something to relieve stress or improve a situation
Example: I just need to pet the dog and calm down.
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