not turn a hair
Meaning: To show no reaction at all.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The fire alarm went off and the cat didn't turn a hair.”
Category: Animals
Origin: From horses: a horse that has been worked hard shows it in a ruffled, sweat-turned coat, so one that has not turned a hair is entirely unruffled. The phrase is recorded from the 18th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- Russian: в ус не дуть (v us ne dut') — literally: not to blow into the mustache
More idioms — Animals
- two men and a dog — A very small crowd.
- has the cat got your tongue? — Said to someone who stays silent when they should speak.
- a scapegoat — Someone blamed for others' faults.
- poor as a church mouse — Extremely poor.
- the law of the jungle — A situation where the strongest or most ruthless win.
- wouldn't hurt a fly — Is very gentle and harmless.
More English idioms
- all brawn and no brain — Physically strong but not clever.
- hide one's light under a bushel — To keep one's talents hidden.
- charity begins at home — One's first duty is to one's own family.
- a load of nonsense — Something completely untrue or silly.
- all or nothing — With no middle way; everything is risked on one outcome.
- until one is blue in the face — For as long as one likes, with no result.
From our proverbs
- Better be envied than pitied. — Living with others' jealousy over your success beats enduring their sympathy for your fai…
- Envy never enriched any man. — Coveting others' possessions diverts energy from productive work that builds genuine weal…
- He lies like an epitaph. — Flattery inscribed on tombstones distorts truth, so excessive praise proves fundamentally…