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Every Saturday I’ll give you a couple of idioms to learn. An idiom is a saying or phrase whose meaning cannot be taken from the literal meanings of the words.

cash cow: A cash cow is an idea that is a good way to make money – usually lots of it!

Example:

Lee decided to open up a dry cleaning store. He heard that a cleaner’s would be a cash cow, and he wants to be able to send some extra money home for his parents.

cast pearls before swine: “To cast” means “to throw,” and “swine” means “pigs.” So, “to cast pearls before swine” means to give something valuable or precious to someone who doesn’t or wouldn’t appreciate it. (This expression comes from the Bible, from a saying of Jesus.)

Example:

John doesn’t really enjoy classical music. Playing your violin for him is just casting your pearls before swine.

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Every Saturday I’ll give you a couple of idioms to learn. An idiom is a saying or phrase whose meaning cannot be taken from the literal meanings of the words. Here are some more animal idioms.

bull in a china shop: Someone who is not careful about what he says or thinks. Here, china refers to the high-quality porcelain that is used for making dishes. A bull in a china shop, therefore, would probably knock over and break many glass objects, making a big mess.

Example:

Henry has no manners at all. He’s like a bull in a china shop, irritating everyone with his lack of common courtesy.

buy a pig in a poke: To buy something without seeing it or checking it out first to make sure there is nothing wrong with it. Here, a poke is a bag or a sack. Someone who bought a heavy bag without first looking inside it might get home and find that he bought some other animal instead of the pig he thought he was getting.

Example:

I’m unhappy with the camera I bought online. The seller said it was in excellent condition, but when I got it, it was all scratched up, and the buttons are difficult to use. That’s the last time I buy a pig in a poke by getting something over the internet.

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Every Saturday I’ll give you a couple of idioms to learn. An idiom is a saying or phrase whose meaning cannot be taken from the literal meanings of the words. I thought I’d start off with some animal idioms.

one’s bark is worse than one’s bite: What one says is worse than what one actually does.

Don’t be concerned about that teacher – his bark is much worse than his bite. He always threatens to give tough tests, but as long as you keep up with the homework, you’ll do fine.

bet on the wrong horse: To bet on the wrong horse is to misjudge the outcome of an election, etc.

Tom let his personal feelings cloud his thinking when he supported Bob for student council president. Bob is a good friend, but Tom just bet on the wrong horse.

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Every Saturday I’ll give you a couple of idioms to learn. An idiom is a saying or phrase whose meaning cannot be taken from the literal meanings of the words. I thought I’d start off with some animal idioms.

badger someone: A badger is a animal that digs holes in the ground, but to badger someone is to annoy them by constantly asking them for something or by harassing them.

Example:
The children badgered their mother for some cookies.

bark up the wrong tree: To bark up the wrong tree is to follow a wrong solution to a problem.

Example:
You think Jim took your history book? You’re barking up the wrong tree – Jim hates history!

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