IdiomAnimals
English
Englishcry wolf
Meaning: To raise a false alarm or exaggerate so often that one is no longer believed.
Example: “If you keep crying wolf about being sick, nobody will believe you when you really are.”
Origin: From Aesop's fable of the shepherd boy who raises false alarms about a wolf for fun, so that nobody believes him when a wolf really comes. The phrase has been used figuratively in English since at least the 18th century.
More English idioms
- fine kettle of fish A terrible mess.
- fly-by-night Undependable; untrustworthy.
- fly in the face of something To go against something; to show disrespect for something or someone.
- fly in the ointment An unpleasant element in an otherwise pleasant situation.
- fly off the handle To suddenly become very angry.
- fly the coop To escape.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.
- He that grasps at too much, holds fast nothing. Excessive ambition scatters effort, leaving you empty-handed where focused pursuit secure…
- We can't all be top sawyers. Not everyone possesses equal skill or talent; accepting different aptitudes prevents rese…
- He that hath a trade hath an estate. A skilled profession provides reliable income and security equivalent to owning property…
Keep exploring