These idioms are not for the birds, they are just about birds! Just as there are many common and colorful birds, there are many colorful and commonly used bird idioms in English. Here is a list of bird-related idioms in English, with meanings and examples in sentences. These expressions are useful to ESL students or anyone who needs to become more proficient in their knowledge of English idioms.
Contents
- A Little Bird Told Me
- As the Crow Flies
- Catbird Seat, in the
- Chicken Out
- Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch
- Eat Crow
- Eat Like a Bird
- Flip Someone the Bird
- For the Birds
- Get Your Ducks in a Row
- Quit Cold Turkey
- Goose Egg
- Happy as a Lark
- Lovely Weather for Ducks
- Naked as a Jaybird
- Neither Fish Nor Fowl
- Night Owl
- No Spring Chicken
- Ruffle Someone’s Feathers
- Running Around Like a Chicken With its Head Cut Off
- Sitting Duck
- Turkey Shoot
- Watch Like a Hawk
- Water Off a Duck’s Back, like
- Wild Goose Chase
A Little Bird Told Me
Meaning: A little bird told me means “I found out this information from a source I cannot or will not reveal.”
Example: “How did you find out I broke up with Howard?” asked Victoria. “Oh, a little bird told me,” said Fran.
As the Crow Flies
Meaning: As the crow flies means in a straight line, without having to follow roads or without any detours; without having to go around any obstacles, such as hills, mountains, lakes, etc.
Example: “I’m from a small town called Carson. It’s about eight miles from the city as the crow flies.”
Catbird Seat, in the
Meaning: If someone is in the catbird seat they are in a superior or advantageous position; a position of power and influence.
Example: “During the 1980s, Atari was in the catbird seat in terms of the home video game industry.”
Chicken Out
Meaning: to refuse to do something because of fear or cowardice.
Example: “It’s too late to chicken out of rock climbing now, we’re almost there.”
Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch
Meaning: Don’t count your chickens before they hatch means to not act on an assumption that you will get or achieve something until you actually have it or you can be certain of success; to not treat something that has not occurred as a certainty; do not depend on something that you hope for until you know for sure that it is happening; do not make plans based on future events that may not happen…(see more)
Example: “I’m going to quit my job because my band is going to get signed.” “Don’t count your chickens yet. They haven’t committed to anything.”
Eat Crow
Meaning: to be humiliated and shamed after being shown to be wrong or to be forced to admit one’s error and be publicly shamed as a result.
Example: “Doug’s parents ransacked his bedroom, convinced he was hiding drugs. They made a big mess but found nothing and were forced to eat crow.”
Eat Like A Bird
Meaning: to eat very little or to eat very small portions only big enough for a bird; to have a very small appetite. Compare to Eat Like a Horse.
Example: “Please have some more roast beef,” said Mom. “You eat like a bird. It’s not healthy!”
Flip Someone the Bird
Meaning: To flip someone the bird means to hold up one’s hand with the palm facing towards you and with the fist closed, raise the middle finger. The general meaning is meant to be interpreted as f*** you but no specific meaning, other than disrespect or general anger, need be applied. In England, two fingers are often used instead of one, held up in a V shape, but still with the palm facing the body. Also: Flip someone off, give someone the finger, give someone the bird, give someone the one-finger salute.
Example: “Don’t pay any attention to all those people honking their horns, just flip them the bird and move on.”
For the Birds
Meaning: If something is for the birds it is without value; undesirable; stupid; boring; foolish; ridiculous; unimportant; uninteresting; deserving of disdain.
Example: “Today’s music is for the birds. All this pop music sounds the same!”
Get Your Ducks in a Row
Meaning: To get or have your (or one’s) ducks in a row means to be well organized and prepared; to have all the facts right; to have become efficient; to have one’s affairs in order.
Example: “Don’t worry about Jane, she’ll be ready. You’d better worry about getting your own ducks in a row.”
Quit Cold Turkey
Meaning: to end an addiction such as smoking or drinking quickly and completely without cutting down gradually or tapering off; to stop doing something suddenly and completely, all at once without preparation or planning. Also: go cold turkey, stop cold turkey.
Example: “I quit drinking cold turkey ten years ago and I’ve never looked back.”
Goose Egg
Meaning: 1. A score of zero in a sports game or competition. 2. A raised lump on the head resulting from a blow or impact to the head. 3. A failure; a defeat; zero success.
Example: “How did you manage to get a goose egg on such an easy test?”
Happy as a Lark
Meaning: to be very happy, excited, delighted, etc.
Example: “It’s not like little Jane to be so morose. She’s usually as happy as a lark!”
Lovely Weather for Ducks
Meaning: a humorous phrase for very wet, rainy weather.
Example: “It’s been raining for two days straight. Lovely weather for ducks!”
Naked as a Jaybird
Meaning: To be naked as a jaybird means naked; completely unclothed.
Example: “I once lost a bet and had to run down the street as naked as Jaybird.”
Neither Fish Nor Fowl
Meaning: When something is neither fish nor fowl it is odd and not easily fit into any specific category or group.
Example: “The first attempt at a flying car was neither fish nor fowl. It was not quite a car and not quite an airplane.”
Night Owl
Meaning: a person who habitually stays up late at night and who prefers to be active during the night.
Example: “Sorry to call you so late at night, Brian.” “That’s no problem. I’m a night owl.”
No Spring Chicken
Meaning: A person who is no spring chicken is no longer young; someone who can no longer be considered youthful; an old person.
Example: “How is your mother?” asked Gail. “Well, as you know, she’s no spring chicken anymore but she is still full of energy. She just joined a gardening club.”
Ruffle Someone’s Feathers
Meaning: To ruffle someone’s feathers means to upset, annoy, or anger them.
Example: “Boy, that comment you made about deodorant really ruffled Bob’s feathers!”
Running Around Like a Chicken With its Head Cut Off
Meaning: rushing about and behaving in a panicked and irrational manner; someone acting in a frenzy without thinking about what he or she is doing; doing things in a hurry.
Example: “I’ve been running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get ready for this party.”
Sitting Duck
Meaning: A sitting duck is an easy target; someone who is easy to attack or criticize; someone in a very vulnerable position; someone easily caught or found.
Example: “That’s really not a good place to leave your car. In that neighborhood, it’s a sitting duck for thieves.”
Turkey Shoot
Meaning: something astonishingly easy to do, especially a battle, fight, or competition where one side is much stronger and the weaker side is hopelessly inferior and has no chance of winning; something took advantage of.
Example: “It was a turkey shoot. The United States proceeded to shoot down more than 300 aircraft and sink two Japanese aircraft carriers, losing only 29 of their own planes in the process.”
Watch Like a Hawk
Meaning: To watch someone (or something) like a hawk means to observe them very closely; to carefully and vigilantly watch someone, especially to make sure they do not do anything wrong.
Example: “You boys can play in the yard but I’ll be watching you like a hawk,” said Mom.
Water Off a Duck’s Back, like
Meaning: Usually applied to criticism or insults, to say that something is like water off a duck’s back means that it does not affect someone at all and that they do not appear to notice or care.
Example: “I don’t care what you say about me,” said Ronald. “It’s like water off a duck’s back.”
Wild Goose Chase
Meaning: a pointless, foolish, and futile search or pursuit that is bound to result in failure.
Example: “He hunted for the treasure for twenty years despite everyone telling him it was a wild goose chase.”
