the law of the jungle
Meaning: A situation where the strongest or most ruthless win.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “In the car park after the concert, it was the law of the jungle.”
Category: Animals
Origin: Popularized by Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book (1894) and its poem "The Law of the Jungle," though there it is an orderly code. The "every man for himself" sense came later.
Equivalents in other languages
- Swedish: djungelns lag — literally: the jungle's law
More idioms — Animals
- wouldn't hurt a fly — Is very gentle and harmless.
- in borrowed plumes — Pretending to qualities or achievements that belong to someone else.
- not my circus, not my monkeys — It's not my problem, so I'm staying out of it.
- birds of a feather flock together — People with similar interests or character tend to spend time together.
- a bird-brain — A silly or scatterbrained person.
- no room to swing a cat — A very small or cramped space.
More English idioms
- get one's hands on something — To obtain something, often with difficulty.
- dig one's own grave — To cause one's own downfall.
- come in handy — To be useful when needed.
- like two peas in a pod — Very similar in looks or character.
- put someone in their place — To remind someone firmly that they are not as important as they think.
- play for high stakes — To take part in something where a great deal can be won or lost.