Idiom Focus: Animal Idioms 5

Every Saturday I'll give you a couple of idioms to learn. An idiom is a saying or phrase whose meaning cannot be taken from the literal meanings of the words.

cat got one’s tongue: Can’t speak because of shyness, surprise, etc.

Example:

What’s the matter – cat got your tongue? I asked you what you did with the car keys! Don’t tell me you lost them!

cat nap: A short nap taken during the day. This idiom comes from the observation that cats tend to take frequent, brief naps throughout the day, and are easily awakened.

Example:

The security guard was fired for catnapping on the job.