in a pig's eye
Meaning: absolutely not; never; expressing strong disagreement.
Language: English
Literally: in a pig's eye
Category: Animals
Origin: American, and genuinely obscure. Explanations built on pig anatomy — that a pig's eyes are small, or poorly placed, or see badly — are offered fairly often but have no evidence behind them and read as attempts to rationalize a phrase after the fact. The likelier account is far simpler: it belongs to a large family of emphatic American dismissals in which an absurd or vulgar image is substituted for a blunt refusal, and several members of that family are minced forms of something coarser that could not be said in company. What the phrase does is not really argue with a claim but refuse to engage with it, which is why the image underneath can afford to be nonsense and still work perfectly.
More idioms — Animals
- like a fish out of water — uncomfortable or awkward in a situation; out of one's element.
- bury the hatchet — to make peace; to settle a dispute.
- a nose for something — a talent for finding or recognizing something; keen instinct.
- Il y a anguille sous roche — Something suspicious is quietly going on beneath the surface.
- Ménager la chèvre et le chou — To try to please both sides of a conflict without committing to either.
- Prendere due piccioni con una fava — To achieve two goals with a single effort.
More English idioms
- stick your oar in — to interfere in someone else's affairs; to meddle.
- lower your guard — to relax defenses; to become vulnerable.
- bring home the bacon — to provide income; to succeed in earning money.
- come hell or high water — no matter what obstacles arise; with absolute determination.
- run rings around someone — to easily surpass someone; to be far superior in ability.
- a storm in a teacup — excessive fuss over something trivial; tempest in a teapot.
From our untranslatable words
- Mångata — The shimmering, road-like reflection the moon casts across water.
- Toska — A dull ache of the soul; a great longing with nothing in particular to long for.
- Dépaysement — The disorienting yet often pleasant feeling of being far from home, immersed in the unfam…