IdiomBody & Senses
English
Englishlike pulling teeth
Meaning: Extremely difficult, especially when trying to get someone to cooperate.
Example: “Getting my brother to answer an email is like pulling teeth.”
Origin: Before modern anesthesia, pulling a tooth was a slow, painful struggle for dentist and patient alike. The comparison is in American newspapers by 1835, describing a confession that was clearly hard to get out.
Equivalents in other languages
French: C'est la croix et la bannière Literally: It is the cross and the banner
More English idioms
- have the wind in one's sails To be doing well and moving forward with confidence and momentum.
- talk behind someone's back To say unkind things about someone when they are not present.
- add fuel to the fire To make a bad situation worse.
- be on pins and needles To be very anxious while waiting for something.
- make a killing To make a lot of money quickly.
- worm something out of someone To get information from someone gradually and persistently.
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Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
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