Up in Ontario

As the Day is Long

Some expressions persist in our language as clean simple ways to express an idea. They are so apt in their description that a better means of expression is hard to find. In particular, I am interested in the similes that are peppered throughout our speech and express an idea better than any other way of saying something. Some examples have been collected below. Please add an others you can think of to the Comments section.

• Right as rain
• Dull as dishwater
• Tough as nails
• Big as a house
• Sick as a dog
• Sharp as a tack
• Quick as a bunny
• Clean as a whistle
• Clear as mud
• Smart as a whip
• Nice as pie
• Good as gold
• Hard as rock
• Sweet as candy
• Laughing like a drain
• Dumb as a post
• Dead as a doornail
• Hungry as a bear
• Hung like a horse
• Dark as night
• Bright as day
• Smooth as a baby's bottom
• Smooth as silk
• Black as the ace of spades
• Black as night
• Thick as thieves
• Wide as the ocean
• High as a kite
• Thin as a rail
• Cute as a button
• Cheap as chips
• Old as spit
• Old as methusela
• Drunk as a skunk
• Smooth as butter
• Free as a bird

With files from Alyson Munroe.