even Homer nods
Meaning: Even the most skilled people sometimes make mistakes.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The star chef burned the sauce; even Homer nods.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: From the Roman poet Horace's Ars Poetica, which complains when "good Homer nods" (dozes off) and slips up. The English phrase is found from the 17th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- Japanese: 猿も木から落ちる (Saru mo ki kara ochiru) — literally: Even monkeys fall from trees
More idioms — Daily Life
- borrow trouble — To worry about problems that may never happen.
- act like one owns the place — To behave with arrogant disregard for others.
- once in a lifetime — So rare that it will probably happen only once.
- out of one's league — Too good, attractive or expensive for someone to have a chance with.
- a stroke of luck — A sudden, unexpected piece of good fortune.
- if at first you don't succeed, try, try again — Keep trying after failure.
More English idioms
- gild the lily — To spoil something already perfect by adding to it.
- cook the books — To falsify figures, especially accounts.
- no room to swing a cat — A very small or cramped space.
- a snake in the grass — A treacherous person who pretends to be a friend.
- give one's eyeteeth for something — To want something very badly.
- like chalk and cheese — Completely different, though perhaps similar at first glance.