Showing 11-17 of 17
Fly in the ointment
A fly in the ointment is a small problem that spoils something that is otherwise good. It describes a situation where one annoying detail ruins an otherwise positive plan or experience.This idiom is based on the idea of a fly falling into a jar of ointment or cream. Even though the ointment is useful, the fly contaminates it and makes the whole thing unpleasant.
The cake for the party looked perfect, but the misspelled name on top was a real fly in the ointment.
Forget your head if it wasn't screwed on
The idiom "Forget your head if it wasn't screwed on" (or "would lose my head if it wasn't attached", or similar variations) is a funny way of saying someone is extremely forgetful, absent-minded or loses things a lot, suggesting that if their head wasn't attached to their body they'd forget that too.You lost your keys again? You'd lose your head if it wasnt screwed on!
Fresh as a daisy
Fresh as a daisy means feeling lively, energetic, and well rested. It is often used when someone feels bright and full of energy after sleeping or resting.This idiom compares a person to a daisy flower, which opens its bright petals in the morning and looks clean and fresh in the daylight. Because of this, daisies became a symbol of freshness and new energy.
After a full night of sleep, she woke up feeling fresh as a daisy.
Frog in your throat
If you say you have a frog in your throat it means that your voice sounds rough or croaky, often because your throat is dry or irritated. You might need to cough to clear your throat.This expression has been used since the 1800s as a humorous way to describe the strange, croaking sound a person's voice can make when their voice is not working properly.
I had a frog in my throat during the whole presentation this morning.
Full steam ahead
Full steam ahead means to move forward with something with full focus of energy or effort.The idiom comes from the era of steamships and steam trains. When the engines were producing the maximum amount of steam, the machine moved as fast as it can.
After the plan was approved, the team decided it was full steam ahead on the new project.
Like a fish needs a bicycle
To need something like a fish needs a bicycle means that something is completely unnecessary or useless. It is used to say that you really don't need something at all.The phrase became popular in the 1970s as a humorous saying linked to the feminist slogan "A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle". It was meant to express the idea that women do not depend on men in order to live full lives.
When we got married, we got so many blenders we'd open presents and say "we need another blender like a fish needs a bicycle"