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August 11, 2025- by Steven Greer
It is interesting how observing wildlife makes one realize how many of the common sayings, or idioms, in our English language are derived from wildlife. Modern humans are divorced from this, and we have forgotten what they mean.
Today, as I was watching these ducks in my yard, it explained two common phrases. When someone “makes a splash” as they enter a scene, that comes from ducks landing on the lake. When somebody is stretching their wings, that comes from ducks. I observed several of my ducks lounging on the grass in the sun stretching their wings.
I asked Grok for more examples:
“Many English idioms and phrases are indeed rooted in animal behavior, reflecting how closely our ancestors observed the natural world. Here are several examples of common phrases derived from animal behavior, along with their meanings and origins:
- The early bird catches the worm- Meaning: Being early or prompt leads to success. Origin: This phrase comes from birds that hunt for worms at dawn, getting the best prey before others. It reflects the advantage of acting first, as seen in nature.
- Barking up the wrong tree- Meaning: Mistaking the target or being wrong about something. Origin: Comes from hunting dogs barking at the base of a tree where they think prey (like a raccoon) is hiding, only to realize it’s the wrong tree.
- Like a fish out of water- Meaning: Feeling uncomfortable or out of place in an unfamiliar situation. Origin: Directly from fish flopping helplessly on land, unable to survive outside their natural environment, a clear analogy to human discomfort.
- Hold your horses- Meaning: Slow down or wait. Origin: Derived from controlling horses, particularly in carriages or during battle, where reins were held to keep horses from charging prematurely.
- You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink- Meaning: You can provide someone with an opportunity, but you can’t force them to take it.Origin: This proverb, first recorded in English in 1175 in Old English Homilies, stems from the observation that horses may refuse to drink even when brought to water. It reflects a broader truth about human (or animal) free will and stubbornness.
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Don’t count your chickens before they hatch- Meaning: Don’t assume success or benefits before they are certain.Origin: Traced to Aesop’s fable The Milkmaid and Her Pail (6th century BCE), where a milkmaid fantasizes about profits from unhatched eggs, only to lose her milk. Popularized in English by 16th-century proverbs.
- As busy as a bee- Meaning: Being very industrious or active. Origin: Bees are constantly working, pollinating flowers and making honey, a behavior that inspired this phrase to describe tireless effort.
- Sly as a fox- Meaning: Being cunning or clever. Origin: Foxes are known for their stealth and cleverness in evading predators or catching prey, behaviors that translate to human cunning.
These phrases show how animal behaviors—whether it’s the industriousness of bees, the cunning of foxes, or the awkwardness of fish—have shaped English expressions. Our language is steeped in these observations, even if modern life has distanced us from their origins. If you’d like, I can dig deeper into any specific animal or phrase or even check X for recent discussions on this topic!”
