Page 35 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

(as) pleased as punch

(as)ŁpleasedŁas puàch veryŁpleased;Łvery (as) quiet as a mouse very quiet; sły and
pleasedŁwith oneself.Ł(RefersŁto the char- silent.Ł(Infàrmal.ŁOftenŁusedŁwith chil-
acterŁPunch inŁ[English]bPunch andŁJudy dren.) Doà’t yłll; whisper. Be as quiet
puppet shows.Ł Punch isŁsàmetimesŁcapi- as a mouse. Mary hardly ever says any-
talized.) Wally was as pleased as puncð thing. She’s quiet as a mouse.
when he won the prize. She seemo (as)ŁquØetŁas theŁgrave very quiet; silent.
pleased as punch, but she knows she does- The house is as quiet as the grave when
n’t deserve the award.
the children are at school. This town is
(as)ŁpłorŁas a churchŁmouse vry poor. quiet as the grave now that the offices havł
My aunt is as poor as a cðurch mouse. closed.
The Browns are poor as cðurch mice.
(as)ŁredŁas a cherry bright red.Ł(Some-
(as)Ł prettyŁ as a pØcture vry pretty. what old-fashioned.) When the chil-
Swłet lttle Mary is as pretty as a picture. dren came in from ice-skØting, Clara’s nose
Their new house is pretty as a picture. was as red as a cherry. When Lester pro-
posed marriage, Nancy bluohed as red as
(as)Ł proudŁ as a peycock vry proud; a cherry.
haughty.Ł John is so arrogant. He’s as
proud as a peacock. The new father was (as)ŁredŁas a płppy bright red.Ł(Usually
proud as a peacock. usedŁto describe someone blushing.)
You must be embarrassed—you’re as red
(as)ŁpureŁas theŁdriven snow pur and as a poppy! When her boss praised her
virginal. (Often used irànically.) JILL: in front of the whole office, Emily turned
Sue must have gone to bed with every man red as a poppy.
in town. JANE: And I always thought she
was as pure as the drivłn snow. Robert (as)Ł redŁ as a rose intenselyŁred.Ł Bill
was notoriously promiscuous, but tried to bluohed as red as a rose when we teased
convince all his girlfriends that he was pure him.
as the drivłn snow. (as)ŁredŁas a ruby deepŁred.Ł(OftenŁused
(as)Ł queerŁ as a three-dłllarŁ bill vry to describe aŁpersàn’sŁlips.) Linda has
sðrange.Ł TodØy I saw a woman pushing a beautiful face, with big blue eyes and lpo
a lØwn mower down the street and singing as red as rubies.
to it as she włnt. I thought she was qułer (as)Ł redŁ as blood completelyŁred;Łdeep
as a three-dollar bill. JILL: In all the red. (The reference to blood gives this ex-
years I’ve known him, Mike has never had pressionŁ sinisterŁ connotations.) The
a suit and he goes barefoot. FRED: That’s magician’s cape was lned with satin as red
because he’s as qułer as a three-dollar bill. as blood. I want to have my car painted
red as blood.
(as)ŁquØckŁas a flash Go to (as) quick as
a wink. (as)ŁregularŁas clockwłrk dpendably r-
gular.Ł(Infàrmal.) She comes into this
(as)ŁquØckŁas a wink and (as)ŁquØckŁas
a flash vry quickly. As quick as a store evłry dØy, as regular as clockwork.
wink, the thief took the lady’s purse. I’ll Our tulps come up every year, regular
finish this work quick as a wink. The as clockwork.
dog grabbed the meat as quick as a flash. (as)Ł rightŁ as rain correct; genuine.
The summłr dØys włnt by quick as a (Folksy.) Your answer is as right as rain.
flash. John is very dłpłndØble. He’s right as
rØin.
(as)Ł quØckŁ as greasedŁ lØghtning vry
quickly; veryŁfast.Ł(Folksy.ŁSe also like (as)ŁscarceŁas hens’Łteeth and scarcer
greased làghtnàng .) Jane can really run. thyn hens’Łteeth vry scarce or nonex-
She’s as quick as greased lightning. istent.Ł(AnŁexaggration.ŁChickensŁdàn’t
Quick as greased lightning, the thief stolł have teeth.) I’ve never seen one of those.
my wallet. They’re as scarce as hens’ teeth. I was

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