deaf as a post
Meaning: Completely deaf.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “Speak up; Grandpa is deaf as a post.”
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: A wooden post hears nothing. The comparison is found from the 16th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Avoir les portugaises ensablées — literally: To have one's Portuguese oysters silted up
More idioms — Body & Senses
- soaked to the skin — Completely wet.
- have one foot in the grave — To be close to death.
- on one's toes — Alert and ready to react.
- blood will tell — Family background and inherited character eventually show.
- at the top of one's lungs — As loudly as possible.
- a stab in the back — A betrayal by someone one trusted.
More English idioms
- ugly as sin — Very ugly.
- terra firma — Solid ground, as opposed to the sea or the air.
- the sandman is coming — It's time to sleep; someone is getting sleepy.
- bite the hand that feeds you — To harm or insult someone who helps you.
- cash on the nail — Payment made immediately.
- move the needle — To make a noticeable difference.
From our untranslatable words
- Puente — The day taken off to 'bridge' a midweek public holiday to the weekend, turning it into a…
- Vergüenza ajena — The squirming embarrassment felt on behalf of another person, who may be entirely untroub…
- Magari — One word doing the work of 'if only', 'I wish', 'perhaps' and 'you bet' — the tone decide…