The most popular idioms or proverbs

[MikeNewYork]

Never has it rained cats and dogs,
But sometimes it rains frogs.

:wink:

Biblically speaking, of course. :wink:

 

[RonBee]

I am not making this up. I once saw a program (on the Discovery Channel) where they explained how it has rained locusts, fish, and, yes, frogs. (Well, I could be wrong about the frogs, but at least it rhymes with dogs.) Some people in England were certainly surprised when fish fell from the sky. Fascinating.

 

[Tdol]

Frogs can be lifted up by tornados and come down in the rain, or so I've heard. Fish did fall here.;-)

 

[RonBee]

Sometimes the most unbelievable things are true.

 

[Tdol]

I like it when that happens. ;-)

 

[blacknomi]

'Raining cats and dogs' is a strange idiom- every student in the world knows it, yet I never hear any native speaker use it here in the UK.;-)

It is said that cats and dogs are born to be enemy to each other. i knoe 2 examples that includes "cats and dogs".

1.fight like cats and dogs.
2.rain like cats and dogs.

Because the sound or voice of their fighting is usually roaring and screaming, that why they use this proverb as a metaphor of raining heavily.


Some said, in the past, the sewer system was designed poorly, once it rains, the bodies of cats and dogs will float on the street. And people misunderstood these bodies were falling from the sky.


In Scandinavian mythology, it is said the witch who takes charge of STROM usually appeared in a transformation of a BLACK CAT. While the sailors see the black cat, it means it is going to rain heavily. There is a similar saying 'the cat has a gale of wind in her tail.'


BUT i am just curious about who put the words in an order like "cats and dogs" instead of "dogs and cats."


Another proverb, "sell a pig in the poke." In my language, we say something like "to hang up a sheep's head and sell dogmeat"



sabrina :wink:

 

[blacknomi]

Frogs can be lifted up by tornados and come down in the rain, or so I've heard. Fish did fall here.;-)

It's true.
I saw it from Discovery.


sabrina :lol:

 

[Tdol]

Discovery clearly shows a lot of good stuff.;-)

 

[queenmaabd]

Than, you tends to use that idiom, don't you ?

The Americans (at least) have a similar saying, "When hell freezes over", that is, never.

 

[Tdol]

However, the centre of Dante's hell was frozen over. ;-)

 

[bmo]

Re: Idiom : "When pigs fly"

In English, when we think something will never happen, a common response might be "That'll be the day!". There's a better one on the tip of my tongue. I know it's there - I can feel it there - but I just can't remember it. Help, please"

I think it is "over my dead body."

BMO

 

[Francois]

...or "when pigs fly".

FRC

 

[RonBee]

Frogs can be lifted up by tornados and come down in the rain, or so I've heard. Fish did fall here.;-)

It's true.
I saw it from Discovery.


sabrina :lol:

May I interrupt? Say:

• I saw it on Discovery.

(Sorry for being so picky.)

:wink:

 

[blacknomi]

Frogs can be lifted up by tornados and come down in the rain, or so I've heard. Fish did fall here.;-)

It's true.
I saw it from Discovery.


sabrina :lol:

May I interrupt? Say:

• I saw it on Discovery.

(Sorry for being so picky.)

:wink:

Thanks for being picky,
I think I'm lucky.
Cuz someone called Ronbee,
Always can help me.

 

[RonBee]

Hey, you made another rhyme!
Thank goodness that's not a crime.

:wink:

 

[bmo]

Re: Idiom : "When pigs fly"

In English, when we think something will never happen, a common response might be "That'll be the day!". There's a better one on the tip of my tongue. I know it's there - I can feel it there - but I just can't remember it. Help, please"

I think it is "over my dead body."



BMO

Not on this life.

BMO

 

[Susie Smith]

Re: Idiom : "When pigs fly"

In English, when we think something will never happen, a common response might be "That'll be the day!". There's a better one on the tip of my tongue. I know it's there - I can feel it there - but I just can't remember it. Help, please"

I think it is "over my dead body."



BMO

Not on this life.

I've never heard "not in this life" (this preposition sounds better), but it sounds logical.

You say "not on your life" if you mean - "absolutely not/ no way!". You say it when you definitely will not do something.

"Over my dead body" means you will do your best not to let something happen. It means "not if I can help it".

:wink:

 

[blacknomi]

Re: Idiom : "When pigs fly"

In English, when we think something will never happen, a common response might be "That'll be the day!". There's a better one on the tip of my tongue. I know it's there - I can feel it there - but I just can't remember it. Help, please"

Once in a blue moon.
Don't hold your breath.
:wink:

 

[Susie Smith]

Re: Idiom : "When pigs fly"

In English, when we think something will never happen, a common response might be "That'll be the day!". There's a better one on the tip of my tongue. I know it's there - I can feel it there - but I just can't remember it. Help, please"

Once in a blue moon.
Don't hold your breath.
:wink:

"Don't hold your breath" is a good one.
Once in a blue moon means hardly ever. e.g. I go out once in a blue moon.

 

[twostep]

However, the centre of Dante's hell was frozen over. ;-)

That was a so called cold day in hell.