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A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
The phrase a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush means that it is better to keep something you already have than to risk losing it by trying to get more. It encourages people to value certainty over possible gain.The saying comes from hunting, where holding one bird still gets you dinner, but going after two may leave you hungry with no bird at all.
She kept her steady job, remembering that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
A fish out of water
You are a fish out of water if you are in a situation you are very uncomfortable with. This idiom has been in use since the 14th century.When I first moved to the city from my parent's farm, I felt like a fish out of water.
A wolf in sheep's clothing
The idiom a wolf in sheep's clothing describes someone who seems kind or harmless but is actually dangerous or dishonest. It warns people not to trust appearances.This idiom comes from an old story where a wolf dresses up as a sheep to sneak into the flock and eat the sheep.
We thought he was here to help, but he was really a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Bark up the wrong tree
To bark up the wrong tree means to make a wrong guess or to blame the wrong person. The phrase comes from hunting dogs that bark at the base of the wrong tree, thinking the bird they are hunting is in this tree when it is in another one. It is used to explain a misunderstanding or mistaken belief.If you think I broke it, you are barking up the wrong tree.
Beat around the bush
To beat around the bush means to avoid the main point of a conversation instead of speaking directly about the real issue. It usually describes someone who talks indirectly to avoid saying something uncomfortable.The phrase comes from hunting practices where people would beat bushes to drive birds out into the open. Someone who stayed around the bush instead of going straight for the target was not getting to the point.
Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you really think.
Birds of a feather
The idiom birds of a feather flock together is from the observation that birds of the same species keep together and don't mix with other kinds of birds.It means that people with similar interests or personalities tend to collect together.
Everyone at this conference are birds of a feather.
Breeding like rabbits
The phrase breeding like rabbits refers to the rabbit's ability to breed at an astonishing rate. People use this idiom when they talk about something that suddenly is around in large numbers, whether it is another animal that is literally breeding, or something that is figuratively breeding, like unfinished jobs or odd socks.How do you have so many shoes? They must be breeding like rabbits!
Bull in a china shop
You might be called a bull in a china shop if you are being careless or reckless in a situation that you can cause damage. It might mean someone who is physically clumsy or has tactless behaviour.He came into the meeting like a bull in a china shop and ruined all our negotiations.
Come back to bite you
If something comes back to bite you it means that something a person did earlier causes trouble or problems later. It is often used when a careless or dishonest action has consequences in the future.The expression comes from the image of an animal biting someone after being disturbed.
Ignoring the small repairs on the house eventually came back to bite you.