Idioms & Phrases
🔒 Log in to trackAnimal and body-part idioms
🔒 Log in to trackMany exam idioms use an animal or a body part. Each animal has a fixed character and each body part a fixed job. Use that to work out an idiom even when you half remember it.
Why animals and body parts
Many idioms in exams name an animal or a part of the body. Each one has a fixed character. So you can often decode an idiom even if you only half remember it.
Animal characters
| Animal | Stands for | Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| bull | facing force head-on | take the bull by the horns | face a problem boldly |
| rat | cheating, trickery | smell a rat | suspect something is wrong |
| crocodile | false tears | crocodile tears | pretended sorrow |
| horse | speed, hurry | hold your horses | wait, be patient |
| wolf | hunger | keep the wolf from the door | avoid hunger |
| birds | targets | kill two birds with one stone | get two results from one action |
| lion | biggest share | the lion's share | the largest part |
| goose | foolish effort | a wild-goose chase | a pointless search |
| cat | hidden thing | let the cat out of the bag | reveal a secret |
Example: Crocodile tears. The old belief was that crocodiles cry while eating. So the tears are not real. The meaning is pretended sorrow.
Body-part jobs
| Part | Job | Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ear | listening | turn a deaf ear | refuse to listen |
| eye | watching, agreeing | see eye to eye | agree fully |
| nose | price paid | pay through the nose | pay far too much |
| shoulder | welcome | give the cold shoulder | treat someone coldly |
| neck | risk | stick your neck out | take a risk by acting boldly |
| feet | courage | get cold feet | lose courage at the last moment |
| hand | help, work | lend a hand | give help |
| hands | work | have your hands full | be very busy |
| foot | firmness | put your foot down | take a firm stand |
| heart | fear, feeling | heart in your mouth | very nervous |
| leg | play | pull someone's leg | tease playfully |
More body idioms
- Bite the dust: be defeated or fail completely.
- Bury the hatchet: end a quarrel and make peace.
- Wash your hands of: refuse any more responsibility.
- Keep at arm's length: avoid becoming friendly with.
- Cost an arm and a leg: be extremely expensive.
- Keep an eye on: watch carefully.
Four question types
- Animal idiom. Use the animal's character.
- Body idiom. Use the body part's job.
- Idiom in a sentence. The sentence tells you if it is good or bad.
- Reverse type. A meaning is given and you choose the idiom. The wrong options are real idioms of the same body part. Match the job exactly. Hand is help, hands full is busy, wash hands is refuse duty.
Watch: Some idioms have no clear picture. Keep one flash card each for cold shoulder, bite the dust and crocodile tears.
Question types you will see
Each type: how to recognise it, the method step by step, and one question to try.
Animal idiom meaning
The idiom names an animal or bird: bull, rat, crocodile, wolf, horse, goose, lion.
Name the animal.
Recall its character.
Match the character to an option.
Cross out the literal option.
Each animal keeps the same character in every idiom.
Take the bull by the horns: (a) to face a difficulty boldly (b) to buy a bull (c) to run away (d) to lose a bet
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Buy a bull is literal.
The bull stands for facing force head-on.
So it means to face a difficulty boldly.
(a) to face a difficulty boldly
Body-part idiom meaning
The idiom names a body part: ear, eye, nose, shoulder, neck, feet, hand, heart.
Name the body part.
Recall its job.
Match the job to an option.
Each body part has a job that carries into the idiom.
Turn a deaf ear: (a) to hear badly (b) to refuse to listen (c) to listen carefully (d) to be ill
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Ear is listening.
Hear badly is the neighbour trap.
Deaf ear means refusing to listen.
(b) to refuse to listen
Animal or body idiom in a sentence
A sentence holds the idiom, and you choose its meaning in context.
Read the sentence.
Decide if the situation is good or bad.
Use the animal or body job.
Plug it back.
The sentence confirms the character.
He stuck his neck out for his friend. (a) took a risk (b) hurt himself (c) ran away (d) told a lie
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Neck stands for risk.
The action helps a friend, so the tone is bold.
Took a risk fits.
(a) took a risk
Choose the idiom for a meaning
The stem gives a meaning and the options are four idioms, usually of one body part.
Say the meaning in two words.
Match each idiom to its meaning.
Pick the one that fits exactly.
The wrong options are real idioms with other meanings.
Which idiom means to be extremely busy? (a) lend a hand (b) have one's hands full (c) wash one's hands of (d) keep at arm's length
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Lend a hand is help.
Wash hands is refuse duty and arm's length is avoid friendship.
Hands full is busy.
(b) have one's hands full
Playful or hostile trap
An option gives a harmful meaning for a mild idiom (pull someone's leg, give the cold shoulder).
Mark the idiom as mild or hostile.
Cross out options with the wrong strength.
Pick the option that fits.
Body idioms are often milder or colder than the literal picture.
Pull someone's leg: (a) to hurt someone (b) to tease someone playfully (c) to help someone walk (d) to trip someone
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Hurt, help walk and trip are literal.
Leg stands for playful force.
Tease playfully fits.
(b) to tease someone playfully
Shortcuts that save time
Name the animal or body part, then recall its character or job. The meaning usually follows.
Keep the wolf from the door: (a) to scare a wolf (b) to earn enough to avoid hunger (c) to close a door (d) to be a wolf
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Scare a wolf and close a door are literal.
Wolf stands for hunger.
The meaning is to earn enough to avoid hunger.
(b) to earn enough to avoid hunger
Learn hand idioms together: lend a hand, have your hands full, wash your hands of. The job is help or work.
Write a card for each idiom whose picture is hard to see. Read those cards first in revision.
Mistakes to avoid
Where most students lose marks on this subtopic.
Reading pull someone's leg as hurting someone.
It means to tease playfully.
Reading cold shoulder as an illness.
It means to treat someone coldly.
Mixing smell a rat with the rat race.
Smell a rat means suspect a trick. The rat race is a tiring fight for success.
Reading heart in your mouth as love.
It means extreme fear or nervousness.
Reading wash your hands of as cleanliness.
It means to refuse any more responsibility.
Quick revision
Read this the night before the exam.
Animal is character: bull bold, rat trick, crocodile fake, wolf hunger, horse hurry.
Body is job: ear listen, eye watch or agree, neck risk, feet courage, hand help.
Reverse questions: match the meaning to the body part's job first.
Keep separate cards for cold shoulder and crocodile tears.
Hands full is busy. Wash hands is refuse duty.
Practice: 14 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Every answer has a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 10 questions
Suggested time 4 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.