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Article: ANIMALS MAKE OUR LANGUAGE COLORFUL
- Article from:
- Post-Tribune (IN)
- Article date:
- January 7, 1995
CopyrightCopyright, 1995, Post-Tribune. All rights reserved. REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED. (Hide copyright information)
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OUTDOORS - NATURE
If you call someone a "snake-in-the-grass" or say they are "crazy as a loon," most people understand what you mean. Humans have developed colorful expressions - derived from the workings of nature - which describe human characteristics.
Snake-in-the-grass comes from the fairly common outdoor experience of coming upon a snake unexpectedly. Many people fear snakes and think they wait in ambush.
So a snake-in-the-grass is a sneaky, low person who cheats or takes unfair advantage. But a snake usually beats a hasty retreat before you are even aware of it.
Crazy as a loon has a self-evident meaning. Put ...