the elephant in the room
An obvious problem that everyone notices but nobody wants to discuss.
Example: Someone finally addressed the elephant in the room and asked about the layoffs.
B216 words · Upper-intermediate
Animal Idioms vocabulary — B2
Animal idioms for describing awkward situations and reactions, with phrases like the elephant in the room, let sleeping dogs lie and crocodile tears.
16 questions
Words in this set
16a wild goose chase
A hopeless and pointless search that wastes a lot of time.
Example:
The false clue sent detectives on a wild goose chase.
smell a rat
To suspect that something is wrong or that someone is being dishonest.
Example:
When the numbers didn't add up, the accountant smelled a rat.
straight from the horse's mouth
Completely reliable information that comes directly from the person most closely involved.
Example:
I heard it straight from the horse's mouth — she's getting promoted.
have a whale of a time
To enjoy yourself enormously.
Example:
The kids had a whale of a time at the funfair.
let sleeping dogs lie
To leave an old problem alone instead of bringing it up again and causing trouble.
Example:
It's best to let sleeping dogs lie and not mention the argument again.
crocodile tears
A display of fake sadness or sympathy that isn't sincere.
Example:
His apology was just crocodile tears — he did the same thing again the next day.
make a beeline for
To go directly and quickly toward something, without any detour.
Example:
As soon as the doors opened, the shoppers made a beeline for the sale rack.
a chicken and egg situation
A puzzle where it's unclear which of two connected things happened first and caused the other.
Example:
Deciding whether the budget or the plan comes first is a chicken and egg situation.
take the bull by the horns
To deal with a difficult situation directly and with confidence.
Example:
She finally took the bull by the horns and confronted her boss.
a leopard cannot change its spots
People do not change their basic nature.
Example:
He promised to be on time and a leopard cannot change its spots.
the lion's den
A place full of people who are hostile to you.
Example:
Walking into that committee was walking into the lion's den.
a hornet's nest
A situation that causes a lot of angry trouble.
Example:
One innocent question stirred up a hornet's nest in the village.
like a moth to a flame
Drawn irresistibly towards something dangerous.
Example:
He goes back to that job like a moth to a flame.
ruffle someone's feathers
To annoy or upset someone.
Example:
One question was enough to ruffle someone's feathers on the panel.
a horse of a different colour
A completely different matter.
Example:
Repairing it is fine; rebuilding it is a horse of a different colour.
