The English language is rich with idiomatic expressions and sayings related to animals such as ‘You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink’ and ‘Do not change horses in midstream’. This week’s column discusses the stories and meanings of some expressions about two animals — horse and monkey.
In the past, the horse was considered a symbol of prestige. Rich and powerful people rode tall horses to show that they were more important than others. High horse is an attitude of arrogant superiority. We ask someone to get off their high horse if they act as if they are better or more intelligent than everyone else.
Janani always acts as if she is more intelligent than her classmates. Two days ago, when our class teacher asked her to get off her high horse, she felt very
humiliated.
If you choose a wrong one when you have a number of choices, you back the wrong horse. This expression comes from the horse racing phrase ‘to bet on the wrong horse’.
After completing his Class 12 exams, Suresh opted for mechanical engineering. He found ‘mathematics’ and ‘engineering drawing’ difficult and scored less marks in these two subjects. Only after a semester he realised that he backed the wrong horse.
Monkeys are full of playful tricks; they chase each other, pull tails, throw things at others and do tricks. This is why people, who are tricky and playful are called monkeys. The expression monkeyshines means tricks or foolish acts.
The students were making much noise in the classroom. The teacher shouted at them saying: “Stop your monkeyshines and keep quiet”.
When you monkey around with something you do not know what you are doing. For example, you are playing with something which you should leave alone.
While reading a magazine, he monkeyed around with a doll and tore its dress.
The expression ‘to make a monkey out of oneself or someone’ means
to make oneself or someone look foolish.
Recently I watched a Hindi movie. A comedian made a monkey out of himself and the audience enjoyed his monkeyshines.
— rayanal@yahoo.co.uk