CJS IMAGE DICTIONARY

Traditional Similes

Don't look at the WORDLIST until you have done the exercise!

Make a note of any items
you didn't know or got
wrong and do them AGAIN
once you finish the exercise.

HINT: REPETITION is
the key to learning
vocabulary, so do the test:

at least twice NOW
again TOMORROW
in four days' time
in a week's time
in two weeks' time

1) as quick ???????????? very fast	2) as blind ?????????? P These creatures do actually have eyes and vision adapted to see in the dark!

SIMILES

1) as quick as a flash very fast	2) as blind as a bat P even though they are NOT blind!

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3) as ?? ???????????? P very brave	4) as ?????????????? P daring, courageous

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3) as brave as a lion P very brave	4) as bold as brass P bold = daring, courageous

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5) as bright ???????????? P sharp - alert	6) as brown ?????????? P Most berries are not brown!

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5) as bright as a button P sharp - alert	6) as brown as a berry P Most berries are not brown!

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7) as ???????????? P energetically wasting no time	8) as ???????????? very clean

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7) as busy as a bee P very busy	8) as clean as a whistle very clean

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9) as ???????????? not clear at all - incomprehensible	10) as ???????????? P not warm at all - unfriendly

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9) as clear as mud not clear at all - incomprehensible	10) as cold as ice P not warm at all - unfriendly

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11) as ????????????P in control - calculating	12) as ????????????P cunning - very clever - savvy

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11) as cool as a cucumber P cool - in control - calculating	12) as cunning as a fox P cunning = clever - savvy

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13) as ?????????????? P very stupid	14) as ?????????????? extinct - could not be more dead no signs of life whatsoever

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13) as daft as a brush P very stupid	14) as dead as a dodo could not be more dead no signs of life whatsoever

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15) as ??????????? P very deaf	16) as ????????????????? not at all similar

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15) as deaf as a post P very deaf	16) as different as chalk and cheese not at all similar

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17) as ?????????????? P slang: as pissed ???????????? very drunk	18) as ???????????? extremely dry

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17) as drunk as a lord P slang: as pissed as a newt very drunk	18) as dry as a bone extremely dry

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19) as ???????????? dull = here boring, colourless, insipid	20) as ???????????? very easy

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19) as dull as ditchwater dull = here boring, colourless, insipid	20) as easy as falling off a log very easy

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21) as ???????????? P very fit - in form - ready for action	22) as ???????????? of a car tyre or battery perhaps = very flat!

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21) as fit as a fiddle P very fit - in form - ready for action	22) as flat as a pancake of a car tyre or battery perhaps = very flat!

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23) as fresh as a daisy P totally awake - alert	24) as good as gold P usually describing a well-behaved child

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25) as ???????????? P very happy	26) as ???????????? P very poor indeed

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25) as happy as a sandboy P very happy	26) as poor as a church mouse P very poor indeed

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27) as heavy ????????????	28) as ???????????? P on drugs - 'stoned'

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27) as heavy as lead	28) as high as a kite P on drugs - 'stoned'

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29) as ???????????? P very honest - 24 hours	30) as ???????????? P very enthusiastic

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29) as honest as the day is long P very honest - 24 hours	30) as keen as mustard P very enthusiastic

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31) as large ???????????? P present, real, alive - in the flesh I turned the corner and to my astonishment, there was Jack, as large .....	32) as ???????????? very light

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31) as large as life P present, real, alive - in the flesh I turned the corner and to my astonishment, there was Jack, as large as life	32)as light as a feather very light

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33) ????????????????????????? P describing twins = identical	34) ???????????? P very mad In medieval Europe, mercury was used in medicine and manufacturing. Later, ???????? commonly cured felt using a form of mercury called mercurous nitrate. As the ???????? inhaled mercury vapors over time, many experienced neurological symptoms of mercury poisoning. By 1837, “????????????” was a common saying.

SIMILES

33) as like as two peas in a pod P describing twins = identical	34) as mad as a hatter P very mad In medieval Europe, mercury was used in medicine and manufacturing. Later, hatmakers commonly cured felt using a form of mercury called mercurous nitrate. As the hatmakers inhaled mercury vapors over time, many experienced neurological symptoms of mercury poisoning. By 1837, “mad as a hatter” was a common saying.

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35) very clear - obvious - self-evident a) as plain ???????????? b) as clear ????????????	36) as ???????????? super fast

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35) very clear - obvious - self-evident a) as plain as the nose on your face b) as clear as day	36) as hard as nails very tough

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37) as ???????????? very old, an over-familiar joke perhaps	38) as ???????????? P delighted

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37) as old as the hills very old, an over-familiar joke perhaps	38) as pleased as punch P delighted

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39) as ???????????? P usually of a girl = very attractive	40) as ???????????? P could describe a very quiet and well-behaved child

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39) as pretty as a picture P usually of a girl = very pretty	40) as quiet as a mouse P could describe a very quiet and well-behaved child

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41) as ???????????? P for example after heavy exertion/effort Fred slumped to the ground after finishing the X-country as ????????????.	42) as ???????????? reliably regular

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41) as red as a beetroot P for example after heavy exertion/effort Fred slumped to the ground after finishing the X-country as red as a beetroot.	42) as regular as clockwork reliably regular

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43) as ???????????? P very sick - ill - throwing up	44) as ????????????

Lex. Misc. 1

43) as sick as a parrot P very sick - ill - throwing up	44) as silent as the grave

Lex. Misc. 1

45) as smooth ???????????? extremely smooth - opposite of rough	46) as ???????????? of furniture for example = totally reliable - safe - strong

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45) as smooth as a baby's bottom extremely smooth - opposite of rough	46) as solid as a rock of furniture for example = totally reliable - safe - strong

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47) as ??????? as Croesus P extremely wealthy	48) as strong ????????? P

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47) as rich as Croesus P extremely wealthy Croesus was the king of Lydia, who reigned from 585 BC until his defeat by the Persian king Cyrus the Great in 547 or 546 BC. Croesus was renowned for his wealth.	48) as strong as an ox P

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49) as stubborn ????????? P very stubborn - not susceptible to argument or willing to change an opinion	50) as thick ????????? P working secretively in unison as thick as two ????????? P slang = very stupid

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49) as stubborn as a mule P very stubborn - not susceptible to argument or willing to change an opinion	50) as thick as thieves P working secretively in unison as thick as two short planks P slang = very stupid

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51) as ???????????? P describing someone the opposite of fat	52) as weak ????????? P feeling very week - shaky - possibly hung over after drinking too much the night before

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51) as thin as a rake P describing someone the opposite of fat	52) as weak as a kitten P feeling very week - shaky - possibly hung over after drinking too much the night before

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53) as ?????????????? solid - reliable - safe	54) as ??????????????? P a) in shock, as if having seen a ghost b) pure, total ????????: as ????????

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53) as sound as a bell solid - reliable - safe	54) as white as a sheet P a) in shock, as if having seen a ghost b) pure, total white: as white as snow

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55) as young ????????? P What is 'young' exactly? Well, you're as young ??????????	56) as tough ???????? P

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55) as young as you feel P What is 'young' exactly? Well, you're as young as you feel.	56) as tough as nails P

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57) as cute ?????????? cute = charming, pretty	58) as snug ???????????? extremely warm and cosy

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57) as cute as a kitten cute = charming, pretty	58) as snug as a bug in a rug extremely warm and cosy

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59) as ????????? as muck P lower class - unrefined - lacking in manners - the opposite of posh	60) as nutty ?????????? P daft - batty - potty - idiotic

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59) as common as muck P lower class - unrefined - lacking in manners - the opposite of posh	60) as nutty as a fruitcake P daft - batty - potty - idiotic

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as old as the hills		frenzy horizon		raze zealot
as quick as a

The Phonemic Alphabet, which all learners should know!

Words with a Z!

Don't look at the WORDLIST until you have done the exercise!

23) as fresh ???????????? P totally awake - alert	24) as ??????????????? P usually describing a well-behaved child

SIMILES