The following were sourced from I’m Not Hanging Noodles On Your Ears and Other Intriguing Idioms From Around the World by Jag Bhalla (National Geographic Books, 2009).
25. Ear-nectar
Origin: Indian. Meaning: A sweet noise or sound.
24. Can’t stop being the owl.
Origin: Italian, French. Meaning: Can’t stop flirting.
23. The Bald One
Origin: Cuban. Meaning: The Grim Reaper.
Origin: Japanese. Meaning: To tell it like it is.
21. “When dogs were tied with sausages…”
Origin: Uruguayan. Meaning: “A long time ago…”
20. To go to the pineapple.
Origin: Dominican. Meaning: To fight.
19. “Grow like an onion with your head in the ground.”
Origin: Yiddish: Meaning: “Go take a hike.”
18. To stand like a watered poodle.
Origin: German. Meaning: To be crestfallen.
17. Like a crocodile in a wallet factory.
Origin: Puerto Rican. Meaning: To be very nervous.
16. Like the backside of a vulture.
Origin: Finnish. Meaning: Ugly.
15. Like eyebrows on fire.
Origin: Chinese. Meaning: Very urgent.
Origin: French. Meaning: To be fat.
13. To buy oneself a monkey.
Origin: German. Meaning: To get drunk.
12. Cleaner than a frog’s armpit.
Origin: Spanish. Meaning: Flat broke.
11. To fart higher than your bottom.
Origin: French. Meaning: To be snooty or posh.
10. To vomit the sound of weakness.
Origin: Japanese. Meaning: To whine.
9. “Stop climbing on my head.”
Origin: Arabic. Meaning: “Stop annoying me.”
Origin: Mexican. Meaning: Dance.
7. To look like the Mona Lisa after a spanking.
Origin: Czech. Meaning: To be poorly dressed.
6. To make the kittens.
Origin: Italian. Meaning: To throw up.
5. “May a pine tree grow out of your bottom.”
Origin: Portuguese. Meaning: “Go to hell.”
Origin: Chilean. Meaning: To run away.
3. To bang your butt on the ground.
Origin: French. Meaning: To die from laughter.
2. “I’m not hanging noodles on your ears.”
Origin: Russian. Meaning: “I’m not pulling your leg.”
Origin: Italian. Meaning: To live very far away.