snake



banana oil

Superfluous, disingenuous, or nonsensical talk, especially that which is meant to flatter someone or exaggerate something. Look, I know I won't get past the first round of this tournament, so you can stop feeding me banana oil.
See also: banana, oil

a snake in (one's) bosom

Someone whom one has befriended, taken care of, or treated well but proves to be traitorous, untrustworthy, deceitful, or ungrateful. (Used especially in the phrase "nourish/nurse/nurture a snake in one's bosom.") Well, it turns out that Margaret was quite a snake in my bosom. I put my neck on the line to get her a job in our company, and then she turns around and tries to get me fired! I thought our love was not only mutual but indestructible; and yet, I have nursed a snake in my bosom all these years: my darling husband has cast me out and run off with a younger woman.
See also: bosom, snake

nurse a snake in (one's) bosom

To befriend, look after, or take care of someone who proves to be traitorous, untrustworthy, deceitful, or ungrateful. I thought the profligate had seen the light and was seeking redemption, and so I took him into my care. But before long, I knew I had nursed a snake in my bosom, as I awoke one morning to find myself robbed blind! I thought our love was not only mutual but indestructible; and yet, I have nursed a snake in my bosom all these years: my darling husband has cast me out and run off with a younger woman.
See also: bosom, nurse, snake

nurture a snake in (one's) bosom

To befriend, look after, or take care of someone who proves to be traitorous, untrustworthy, deceitful, or ungrateful. I thought the profligate had seen the light and was seeking redemption, and so I took him into my care. But before long, I knew I had nurtured a snake in my bosom, as I awoke one morning to find myself robbed blind! I thought our love was not only mutual but indestructible; and yet, I have nurtured a snake in my bosom all these years: my darling husband has cast me out and run off with a younger woman.
See also: bosom, nurture, snake

nourish a snake in (one's) bosom

To befriend, look after, or take care of someone who proves to be traitorous, untrustworthy, deceitful, or ungrateful. I thought the profligate had seen the light and was seeking redemption, and so I took him into my care. But before long, I knew I had nourished a snake in my bosom, as I awoke one morning to find myself robbed blind! I thought our love was not only mutual but indestructible; and yet, I have nourished a snake in my bosom all these years: my darling husband has cast me out and run off with a younger woman.
See also: bosom, nourish, snake

snake oil salesman

Someone who sells, promotes, or is a general proponent of some valueless or fraudulent cure, remedy, or solution. (Can also be formed as "snake oil saleswoman" if referring to a woman, or "salesperson" to be gender neutral.) I find it hard to believe anyone would fall for those snake oil salesmen on TV selling holistic medicines and therapies. A lot of people have been swayed by the presidential candidate's plan for economic growth, but if you ask me, she sounds like a snake oil saleswoman.
See also: oil, salesman, snake

snake in the grass

One who feigns friendship with the intent to deceive. Did you hear that Daria's best friend stole money from her bank account? What a snake in the grass.
See also: grass, snake

snakes and ladders

A children's board game in which players try to reach the finish while encountering ladders that move them quickly forward, and snakes that force them back near the start. My little sister loves to play snakes and ladders, but I find it so frustrating because I always seem to land on snakes!
See also: and, ladder, snake

go at something like a boy killing snakes

Rur. to do something with a great deal of energy. Once Mary decided to take that test, she went at her books like a boy killing snakes. I hired Joe to weed my garden, and he went at it like a boy killing snakes.
See also: boy, killing, like, snake

If it was a snake it woulda bit you.

Rur. It was very close to you. Jane: Where's the phone book? Tom: Right there! If it was a snake it woulda bit you. Bill: I can't find my other shoe. I've looked all over the house. Mary: It's right behind you. If it was a snake it would have bit you.
See also: bit, if, snake, woulda

like fighting snakes

Rur. chaotic; challenging. (As if every time one snake is subdued, another one attacks.) It's like fighting snakes to get anything done at this time of year. Arguing with you is like fighting snakes.
See also: fight, like, snake

seeing pink elephants

 and seeing pink spiders; Seeing snakes
intoxicated; recovering from a drinking bout; having the delirium tremens. When I got to the point of seeing pink elephants, I knew that something had to be done. The old one who's shakinghe's probably seeing snakes.
See also: elephant, pink, seeing

snake along

to move along in a curving line, looking like a snake; to move along in a line, moving as a snake moves. The train snaked along, gaining speed as it went downhill. The line of people waiting to buy tickets snaked along slowly.
See also: snake

snake in the grass

a sneaky and despised person. How could I ever have trusted that snake in the grass? John is such a snake in the grass.
See also: grass, snake

a snake in the grass

someone who pretends to be your friend while secretly doing things to harm you It's upsetting to learn that someone you once viewed as a good colleague is in fact a snake in the grass.
See also: grass, snake

snake oil

  (American informal)
advice or solutions to problems which are of no use
Usage notes: People used to sell substances called snake oil in the US which they said would cure illnesses but which were of no use.
In my opinion, government measures for balancing the budget are just so much snake oil. (American informal)
See also: oil, snake

banana oil

Nonsense, exaggerated flattery, as in I should be on television? Cut out the banana oil! The precise analogy in this idiom is not clear, unless it is to the fact that banana oil, a paint solvent and artificial flavoring agent, has no relation to the fruit other than that it smells like it. Possibly it is a variation on snake oil, a term for quack medicine that was extended to mean nonsense. [1920s]
See also: banana, oil

snake in the grass

A treacherous person, as in Ben secretly applied for the same job as his best friend; no one knew he was such a snake in the grass . This metaphor for treachery, alluding to a poisonous snake concealed in tall grass, was used in 37 b.c. by the Roman poet Virgil ( latet anguis in herba). It was first recorded in English in 1696 as the title of a book by Charles Leslie.
See also: grass, snake

snake oil

see under banana oil.
See also: oil, snake

viper in one's bosom

Also, snake in one's bosom. An ungrateful or treacherous friend, as in I got him dozens of freelance jobs, and then he told everyone I was a lousy musician-nothing like nourishing a viper in one's bosom . This metaphoric expression, often put as nourish a viper (or snake) in one's bosom, comes from Aesop's fable about a farmer who shelters a snake dying from the cold, which then fatally bites him after it recovers. It was referred to by Chaucer and Shakespeare, and appeared in numerous proverb collections.
See also: bosom, viper

banana oil

n. nonsense. I refuse to listen to any more of your childish banana oil.
See also: banana, oil

seeing pink elephants

and seeing pink spiders and seeing snakes
tv. alcohol intoxicated; recovering from a drinking bout; having the delirium tremens. When I got to the point of seeing pink elephants, I knew that something had to be done. He’s screaming something about seeing pink spiders, and he wants a drink.
See also: elephant, pink, seeing

seeing snakes

verb
See also: seeing, snake

snake

1. in. to scheme; to plot and plan. (Prisons.) He spent a lot of time snaking about that job.
2. tv. to steal something. Where did you snake that bike?

snake eyes

n. the two in dice, one spot on each die. The baby needs shoes, and all I get is snake eyes.
See also: eye, snake

snake in the grass

n. a sneaky and despised person. How could I ever have trusted that snake in the grass?
See also: grass, snake

trouser snake

and trouser trout
n. the penis. The doctor was taken aback when young Willard used the term “trouser snake.” Stop scratching your trouser trout in public.
See also: snake, trouser

banana oil

insincere or ridiculous talk. Like “horse feathers,” there's no such substance as banana oil. Also like “horse feathers,” the phrase Described something utterly preposterous. It has been attributed to Milt Gross, a cartoonist who first used the expression in his comic strips during the 1920s.
See also: banana, oil

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Shariahshah-REE:-‘ahArabic
Shoshannah-Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
KalebKAY-ləbEnglish (Modern)
Pavle-Serbian, Macedonian, Croatian, Georgian
Shiri-Hebrew
JojoJO-joEnglish