an old sea dog
Meaning: An experienced old sailor.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The harbor café was full of old sea dogs telling storm stories.”
Category: Animals
Origin: "Sea dog" for a seasoned sailor is found from the 16th century; the Elizabethan privateers such as Francis Drake are often called Sea Dogs.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Un vieux loup de mer — literally: An old sea wolf
More idioms — Animals
- have eyes like a hawk — To have very sharp eyesight, or to notice every detail.
- for donkey's years — For a very long time.
- make sheep's eyes at — To look at someone in a lovesick, foolish way (dated).
- you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar — Kindness persuades people better than harshness.
- a rare bird — An unusual person or thing.
- follow the herd — To do what everyone else does without thinking.
More English idioms
- be a doormat — To let others treat one badly without protest.
- thick as thieves — Very close friends who share secrets.
- separate the wheat from the chaff — To distinguish what is valuable from what is worthless.
- a whole different ball game — A completely different situation.
- elbow grease — Hard physical work, especially scrubbing or polishing.
- not mince one's words — To speak frankly, even bluntly.
From our tongue twisters
- Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said the butter's bitter. — A 'b / t / tt' plosive drill that bounces between Betty, butter, and bitter.
- She sells seashells by the seashore. — The definitive 's' versus 'sh' alternation — the tongue has to switch place of articulati…
- Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. — A relentless 'p' plosive drill; a peck is an old dry measure of about nine litres.