let the cat out of the bag
To accidentally reveal a secret.
Example: She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
B114 words · Intermediate
Animal Idioms vocabulary — B1
Animal idioms that no longer describe animals at all, with phrases like let the cat out of the bag, kill two birds with one stone and bark up the wrong tree.
14 questions
Words in this set
14kill two birds with one stone
To achieve two goals with a single action.
Example:
By walking to work, I kill two birds with one stone — exercise and saving money.
when pigs fly
Used to say that something will absolutely never happen.
Example:
He'll clean his room when pigs fly.
eager beaver
Someone who is extremely enthusiastic and hardworking, sometimes a little too much so.
Example:
The new intern is such an eager beaver, always first to volunteer.
monkey business
Silly, mischievous, or dishonest behaviour.
Example:
The teacher warned the class about any monkey business during the test.
curiosity killed the cat
A warning that being too inquisitive about something can get you into trouble.
Example:
Stop poking around in his drawers — curiosity killed the cat.
a bird's eye view
A high, distant look down over an entire area, or a general summary of a whole situation.
Example:
From the tower, we got a bird's eye view of the entire city.
cry wolf
To raise a false alarm so often that nobody believes you when the danger is finally real.
Example:
After crying wolf twice, nobody took his warning seriously.
have bigger fish to fry
To be dealing with more important matters than the small one being discussed.
Example:
I can't worry about that email — I have bigger fish to fry today.
bark up the wrong tree
To have a mistaken idea about who or what is responsible for something.
Example:
If you think I took your keys, you're barking up the wrong tree.
a fly on the wall
Someone who watches without being noticed.
Example:
I would love to have been a fly on the wall in that meeting.
ants in your pants
Unable to keep still because you are excited or restless.
Example:
The children had ants in your pants written all over them.
like a headless chicken
Rushing about in a panic without achieving anything.
Example:
He spent the morning running about like a headless chicken.
a dog's life
A hard and unpleasant existence.
Example:
Two jobs and no weekends is a dog's life by anyone's measure.
