strong as an ox
Meaning: Very strong.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “My grandfather is eighty and still strong as an ox.”
Category: Animals
Origin: Oxen were the strongest working animals on the farm. The comparison is long established.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Fort comme un Turc — literally: As strong as a Turk
More idioms — Animals
- holy cow! — An exclamation of surprise.
- sly as a fox — Very cunning.
- count one's chickens before they hatch — To rely on something good before it has actually happened.
- a dog's breakfast — A complete mess.
- not a peep — Not a sound, or not a word from someone.
- have a whale of a time — To enjoy oneself enormously.
More English idioms
- fall on hard times — To become poor or suffer misfortune.
- a nasty piece of work — An unpleasant, cruel or dishonest person.
- good riddance — Said when one is glad to be rid of someone or something.
- go through the wringer — To go through a very hard experience.
- go off on a tangent — To wander away from the subject being discussed.
- strike out — To fail completely, especially in an attempt to attract someone.
From our untranslatable words
- Tartle — That panicky pause when you go to introduce someone and realize you've forgotten their na…
- Tampo — Pulling back your warmth and affection when you've been hurt — going quiet and distant, h…
- Shemomechama — Eating well past fullness simply because the food is too delicious to stop.