Like a deer caught in the headlights

- like someone who is very confused and does not know what to do

The boy looked like a deer caught in the headlights when we discovered him in the locked room.

Like lambs to the slaughter

- quietly and without complaining about the dangers that may lie ahead

Our football team went like lambs to the slaughter to play against the best football team in the country.

Lion's share of (something)

- the larger part or share of something

We found the lion's share of the lost tickets but some are still missing.

A live dog is better than a dead lion

- it is better to be a live coward than a dead hero (this is from Ecclesiastes in the Bible)

A live dog is better than a dead lion and I told my friend not to get into a fight with the angry man in the restaurant.

Live high on/off the hog

- to have the best of everything

My friend has been living high on the hog since he changed jobs.

Loaded for bear

- very angry

The man was loaded for bear when he went in to see the supervisor.

Lock horns with (someone)

- to get into an argument with someone

I locked horns with my neighbor yesterday morning.

Lock the barn door after the horse is gone

- to try to deal with something after it is too late

My friend wants to fix his house. However, it is like locking the barn door after the horse is gone. There was a flood and the damage is already done.

A lone wolf

- someone who prefers to spend time alone and has few friends

The boy was a lone wolf and spent most of his time alone.

Look a gift horse in the mouth

- to complain if a gift is not perfect

The girl should not look a gift horse in the mouth. She should be happy that she received a present from her friends.

Look like something the cat dragged in

- to look tired or worn out or dirty

I was very tired and I looked like something the cat dragged in.

Look like the cat that swallowed/ate the canary

- to look smug and self-satisfied, to look as if you have just had a great success

"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary. What happened?"

Make a monkey out of (someone)

- to make someone look foolish

My friend made a monkey out of me when he started arguing with me in front of my boss.

Make a mountain out of a molehill

- to make something that is unimportant seem important

You are making a mountain out of a molehill when you talk about the mistake.

Make a silk purse out of a sow's ear

- to create something of value from something of no value

You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. There is no point in trying to teach that woman manners.

Monkey around with (someone or something)

- to play with or waste time with someone or something

The boy spent the morning monkeying around with the old radio.

Monkey business

- unethical or illegal activity, mischief

The boy should stop the monkey business and do the job correctly.

A monkey on one's back

- a serious problem that stops someone from being successful at something

Seven games without scoring a goal was a monkey on the back of the famous soccer player.

Monkey see, monkey do

- someone copies something that someone else does

It is monkey see, monkey do for the boy. He copies everything that his friend does.

More fun than a barrel of monkeys

- very funny, fun

The children love their teacher because he is more fun than a barrel of monkeys.

Not enough room to swing a cat

- not very much space

There was not enough room to swing a cat in the small apartment.

On horseback

- on the back of a horse

We rode to the river on horseback.

A paper tiger

- a person or organization that is supposed to have a lot of power but is actually very weak

The manager was a paper tiger and did not have any power in the company.

Piggy bank

- a small bank (sometimes in the shape of a pig) for saving money

The boy has been putting money into his piggy bank to save for a bicycle.

Piggyback

- sitting or being carried on someone`s back and shoulders

The boy was riding piggyback on his father`s shoulders.

Play cat and mouse with (someone)

- to tease or fool someone, to change between different types of behavior when dealing with someone

The man is playing cat and mouse with his company about his plans to quit or not.

Play possum

- to pretend to be inactive or asleep or dead

I think that the man is playing possum and is not really sleeping.

Put on the dog

- to dress or entertain in a luxurious and extravagant manner

We put on the dog for my parents when they came to visit us.

Put one's head in the lion's mouth

- to put oneself in a dangerous or difficult situation

I put my head in the lion's mouth when I went to the meeting with my boss.

Put (someone or something) out to pasture

- to retire someone or something (just as you would put a horse that is too old to work out to pasture)

We finally decided to put our old car out to pasture and buy a new one.

Put the cart before the horse

- to do things in the wrong order

Buying a ticket before we make our holiday plans is putting the cart before the horse.

Put the cat among the pigeons

- to cause trouble

Sending the unpopular supervisor to talk to the angry workers was like putting the cat among the pigeons.

Rain cats and dogs

- to rain very hard

It has been raining cats and dogs all day.

Rat on (someone)

- to report someone's bad behavior to someone

The little boy ratted on his friend at school.

Rat out on (someone)

- to desert or betray someone

The boy ratted out on his friends. Now they won`t talk to him.

Rat race

- a rushed and confusing way of living that does not seem to have a purpose

My uncle is tired of being in the rat race every day. He plans to quit his job soon and do something else.

Ride herd on (someone)

- to watch closely and strictly supervise someone (as a cowboy would supervise a herd of cattle)

The manager has been riding herd on his employees so that they can finish the job quickly.

A road hog

- a car driver who uses more than his share of the road

The person in front of me on the highway was a road hog but I tried not to get angry.