Horse-Figures of Speech- 24-43 - English Language Tutorials

horse – figures of speech – 24-43
24. horse shit = rubbish idle boasting {not to be used in formal situations}

eating like a horse

25. to eat like a horse = to eat very large quantities of food

26. to work like a horse = to work very hard

27. (a) as fine/holy as a horse

(b) as proud/strong/hungry as a horse

28. (a) a sack of horse piss [said to mean that something is useless, not suitable – an insulting expression]

(b) a sack of unwanted horse piss [used as an insulting expression]

29. as hot as horse’s piss

30. as tough as an old horse

31. (a) as big as a horse’s head

(b) as ugly as a horse’s head

32. as wild as a Wildmore tit (‘tit’ in this context is a small horse bred in a place called Wildmore)

33. (a) as flash as a Chinky’s horse

(b) as fat as a Chinky’s horse [said of a person who is in high spirits, in a very happy mood]

34. as wary as a blind horse (‘wary’ = on guard, watchful, cautious)

35. as sick as a horse [said of vomiting sensation, but not actually vomiting; nauseating sensation]

36. big enough to choke a horse = (of something) very large or more

37. as fast as a horse can trot [said of someone telling lies]

38. mouth like a horse-collar [said of a very large mouth]

39. (a) hear from the horse’s mouth

(b) straight from the horse’s mouth [said of news, information, etc. as the first hand information that has been given directly by the person who knows more about it or who is directly connected with it]

40. to flog a dead horse = to waste one’s time or energy on something that has already been done, decided, etc. (basing on the fact that a dead horse cannot move or work even if you beat it)

41. (a) to lock the stable door after the horse is stolen or has bolted (‘bolt’ = run away)

(b) to close the stable/barn door after the horse has bolted or been stolen

[= said to mean that it is useless to try to prevent something that has already taken place]

42. (a) to be on one’s high horse

(b) to ride a high horse

[= said of someone appearing proud or arrogant because one is insulted, or wishes to show a superior position or attitude]

43. to break a horse in = to give some first lessons of training to a horse to discipline it so that one can ride well on it {It is a fact that people cannot ride any horse that is not broken, i.e. a horse which is not given training in allowing a person to ride or to be put to work}