two men and a dog
Meaning: A very small crowd.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “The concert was played to two men and a dog.”
Category: Animals
Origin: A British way of saying that almost nobody turned up, often used of sparse attendance at sports matches. It is common from the 20th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- Russian: полтора землекопа (poltora zemlyekopa) — literally: one and a half diggers
More idioms — Animals
- 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.
- in borrowed plumes — Pretending to qualities or achievements that belong to someone else.
More English idioms
- 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.
- an accident waiting to happen — Someone or something very likely to cause trouble or harm.
- on a wing and a prayer — Only just managing, with luck rather than means.
- welcome to the club — Said to someone who has just joined you in a shared situation, usually an unwelcome one.
From our tongue twisters
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- How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? — A 'w/ch/ck' drill that accelerates comically — and nobody really knows the answer.