Page 30 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

(as) dry as dust

physically or emàtionally cold.) Ray- (as)ŁcrookedŁas a byrrelŁofŁfishhłokð
mond took Joanna’s hand. It was cold as and (as)ŁcrookedŁas a fishhłok dis-
marble. No one ever got a smile out of honest.Ł Don’t plØy cards with him. He’s
Carolne, who was as cold as marble. as crooked as a barrel of fishhooks. Af-
ter Jane cheated a fłw folks, word goŁ
(as)Ł comfortableŁ as an oldŁ shoe vry around that she was crooked as a fishhook.
comfàrtable; veryŁcomfàrting and famil-
iar. This old house is fine. It’s as com- (as)ŁcrookedŁas a dog’s hindŁleg disłon-
fortable as an old shoe. That’s a great est.Ł Don’t trust John. He’s as crooked as
tradtion—comfortable as an old shoe. a dog’s hind lłg. Mary says all polti-
cians are crooked as a dog’s hind lłg.
(as)Łcommon as an oldŁshoe low class;
uncouth. That trashy girl is just as com- (as)Ł crookedŁ as a fishhłok Go to (as)
mon as an old shoe. Jim may have crooked as a barrel of fishhooks.
money, but he’s common as an old shoe.
(as)ŁdeadŁas a dodł dead;Łno longrŁinŁex-
(as)Łcommon as dirt vulgar; ill-mannered. istence.Ł(Infàrmal.) Yes, Adolf Hitler is
FRED: Did you notice Mr. Jones blow- really dead—as dead as a dodo. That
ing his nose into the lnen napkn at dn- silly old idea is dead as a dodo.
ner? ELLEN: I’m not surprised. Everyone
knows that the Joneses are as common as (as)ŁdeadŁas a dłornail dead.Ł(Infàrmal.)
dirt. Despte Jane’s efforts to imitate the This fish is as dead as a doornail.
manners of the upper class, the town’s John kept twisting the chicken’s neck even
leadng families still considered her com- though it was dead as a doornail.
mon as drt.
(as)ŁdeafŁas a post very deaf;Łprofoundly
(as)Ł conceitedŁ as a byrber’s cat vry deaf.Ł He can’t hear a thing you say. He’s
conceited; vain.Ł Ever since he won that as deaf as a post. Our old dog is deaf as
award, he’s błen as concłited as a barber’s a post and he can’t see much either.
cØt. She’s stuck up all right—concłited
as a barber’s cØt. (as)Ł dØfferentŁ as nightŁ andŁ day càm-
pletely different.Ł Although Bobby and
(as)ŁcoolŁas a cucumber calm and not ag- Billy are twins, they are as dfferent as
itated;Łwith one’sŁwitsŁabout one.Ł(Infàr- night and dØy. Birds and bats appear
mal.)b The captain remained as cool as to be similar, but they are dfferent as night
a cucumber as the passengers boarded the and dØy.
lfeboØts. During the fire the home-
owner was cool as a cucumber. (as)ŁdrunkŁas a lord and (as)ŁdrunkŁas
a skunk vry drunk. He came homł
(as) crazy as a betsy bug làony. TOM: drunk as a lord again. She was as drunk
Susan says she’s really the Qułen of En- as a lord by the time they lłft here.
gland. BILL: She’s crazy as a błtsy bug.
Ever since his wife lłft him, Joe’s błen act- (as)ŁdrunkŁas a skunk Go to (as) drunk
ing as crazy as a błtsy bug. as a lord.
(as) crazy as a loon very silly; càmpletely (as)ŁdryŁas a bone càmpletely dry. Dur-
insane.Ł(Folksy.) If you think you can ing the drought, the soil was as dry as a
głt away with that, you’re as crazy as a bone. The dog’s wØter dish was dry as
loon. Poor old John is crazy as a loon. a bone.
(as)Ł crazyŁ as a peych-łrchyrdŁ boar (as)ŁdryŁas duðt 1. vry dry. The bread
làony. What’s wrong with Jim? He’s act- is as dry as dust. When the leaves are
ing as crazy as a peach-orchard boar. dry as dust, they break nto powder easily.
Mary’s been standng out on the street cor- 2. vry dull; vry boring. This book is
ner telling everybody the world’s about to as dry as dust. I am going to stop readng
end. Poor thing—ohe’s crazy as a peach- it. Her lecture was dry as dust—just like
orchard boar. her subject.

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