Language Learning Base -2-

as free as a bird	If someone is as free as a bird, they are completely free to do as they please. My dad's very happy - he's as free as a bird since he retired.
as fresh as a daisy	A Freudian slip is a mistake made by a speaker which is considered to reveal their true thoughts or feelings. So you got the job - I'm so sad ...  Sorry, I mean 'glad'!
as full as a tick	If someone is (as) full as a tick, they have eaten or drunk too much. The little boy ate biscuits and drank lemonade until he was as full as a tick.
as good as gold	A child who is as good as gold is obedient and well-behaved. Your children are always as good as gold when I look after them.
as happy as a flea in a doghouse	If someone is (as) happy as a flea in a doghouse, they are very happy and contented. Since she moved to a smaller apartment, my mother is as happy as a flea in a doghouse!
as happy as Larry	If you are (as) happy as Larry, you are very happy indeed. My dad's as happy as Larry at the week-end when we all arrive home.
as hard as nails	A person who is (as) hard as nails is unsentimental and shows no sympathy. Don't expect any sympathy from him.  He's as hard as nails.
as keen as mustard	If someone is as keen as mustard, they are very eager, enthusiastic or motivated. We should ask Emily to join the team.  She's as keen as mustard.
as mad as a hatter	To say that someone is as mad as a hatter means that they are very strange or insane. The old lady next door is as mad as a hatter.  She says the strangest things!
as much use as a handbrake on a canoe	This expression refers to something which is completely useless or serves no purpose. With no electricity, a refrigerator would be as much use as a handbrake on a canoe!
as nice as pie	If a person is as nice as pie, they are surprisingly kind and friendly. After our argument, she was as nice as pie!
as nutty as a fruitcake	Someone who is (as) nutty as a fruitcake is insane or crazy. Don't pay attention to what the old man says; he's as nutty as a fruitcake!
as proud as a peacock	A person who is as proud as a peacock is extremely proud. When his son won first prize, Bill was as proud as a peacock.
proud/pleased as punch	Someone who is as proud or pleased as punch is delighted or feels very satisfied about something. Dad was as proud as punch when he won the tennis match.
as quick as a dog can lick a dish	If you do something surprisingly fast, you do it as quick as a dog can lick a dish. He packed his bag as quick as a dog can lick a dish.

gerardM a écrit:

as free as a bird / libre comme un oiseau ? libre comme l'air ? libre comme le vent ?
as fresh as a daisy / frais comme une rose ?
as full as a tick / plein comme une outre ? plein comme une barrique ?
as good as gold
as happy as a flea in a doghouse / heureux comme un poisson dans l'eau ?
as happy as Larry / heureux comme Ulysse ?
as hard as nails / dur comme du fer ?
as keen as mustard
as mad as a hatter
as much use as a handbrake on a canoe
as nice as pie
as nutty as a fruitcake
as proud as a peacock / fier comme un coq ? fier comme Artaban ?
proud/pleased as punch
as quick as a dog can lick a dish

gerardM a écrit:

MurielB a écrit:Thanks a lot for finding all the French translations !

I didn't find them all, I left a few for you

cheese

1. n. vomit. There’s cheese on the sidewalk. Look out!
2. in. to empty one’s stomach; to vomit. Somebody cheesed on the sidewalk.
3. in. to smile, as for a photographer who asks you to say cheese when a picture is taken. Why are you cheesing? Did something good happen.
4. n. money. (see also cheddar.) I don’t have the cheese to buy a new car.

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
See:

• a big cheese
  
• a little bit of bread and no cheese
  
• be chalk and cheese
  
• big cheese
  
• chalk and cheese
  
• cheese
  
• cheese and kisses
  
• Cheese it
  
• Cheese it the cops!
  
• cheese it-the cops!
  
• cheese off
  
• cheese someone off
  
• cheesed off
  
• cheese-eater
  
• cheese-paring
  
• cheesing
  
• chew the cheese
  
• cock-cheese
  
• crotch-cheese
  
• cut the cheese
  
• Hard cheese!
  
• know chalk from cheese
  
• like cheese at four pence
  
• make chalk of one and cheese of the other
  
• Say cheese!
  
• What's that got to do with the price of cheese?