IdiomDaily Life
English
Englishborn yesterday
Meaning: Naive.
Example: “You expect me to believe the dog ate your phone? I wasn't born yesterday.”
Equivalents in other languages
Czech: Spadnout z višně Literally: To fall from a cherry tree
Greek: Τρώω κουτόχορτο Literally: To eat fool's-grass
Croatian: Pasti s kruške Literally: To fall off a pear tree
Origin: A newborn knows nothing of the world, so someone "born yesterday" is naive and easily fooled. The idea is found in the 18th century, and the denial "I wasn't born yesterday" was common by the 19th.
More English idioms
- bottoms up! A call to drink; to empty one's glass.
- bring the house down To be a great success.
- burn the candle at both ends To overwork oneself.
- burned out Lacking enthusiasm due to overexposure or too much of the same thing; completely used up;…
- burning question A question that deserves or demands discussion.
- butt in To interrupt or interfere; to push in.
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