Personality - Unpleasant Traits

Discover how English idioms like "piece of work" and "cold fish" relate to unpleasant traits in English.

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(as|) cross as two sticks [phrase]

used to refer to an extremely angry or impatient person

Ex: I can already tell she 'll be cross as two sticks when she finds out about the mess .

penny wise and pound foolish [phrase]

used to describe someone who is extra careful about spending little amounts of money but has no problem with spending large amounts

Ex: She 's penny wise and pound foolish , trying to save money on groceries but spending extravagantly on designer clothes .

rotten egg [noun]

a person who has a tendency to behave badly and cause trouble for others

Ex: They decided to exclude him from the team because of his reputation as a rotten egg , known for creating divisions among teammates .

cold fish [noun]

someone who does not express emotions and is considered unfriendly

Ex: John is a nice guy , but he comes across as a bit of a cold fish .

piece of work [phrase]

used to refer to someone who is extremely unpleasant and overall a difficult person to deal with

Ex: My neighbor is a real piece of work .

(as|) cold as (any|) stone [phrase]

used to refer to someone who is extremely unsympathetic and does not express strong emotions

Ex: Throughout the trial , the defendant 's demeanor remained cold as stone , even during emotional testimonies .

dog in the manger [phrase]

someone who selfishly prevents others from using or enjoying something that they themselves have no use for

Ex: When I asked to borrow his camera , he acted like a dog in the manger , refusing to lend it to me or anyone else .

off {one's} rocker [phrase]

in a state affected with madness or insanity

Ex: The politician is making outrageous claims , and people think he 's off his rocker .

(as|) nutty as a fruitcake [phrase]

(of a person) crazy or exhibiting odd behavior

Ex:

loose cannon [noun]

a person who has lost their sanity, often momentarily

Ex: The politician 's controversial statements are making him appear as a loose cannon , causing his party to worry about public perception .

all {one's} geese [are] swans [sentence]

used to refer to someone who always thinks or talks in a way that is exaggerated and not based on reality

Ex:

(as|) (cunning|sly) as a fox [phrase]

used to refer to someone who tends to achieve things in a clever way, particularly by deceiving other people

Ex: The politician is sly as a fox ; he can manipulate public opinion to his advantage effortlessly .

(as|) slippery as (an eel|a snake) [phrase]

used to refer to a deceitful and untrustworthy person who cannot be easily caught or exposed

Ex: The suspect in the crime is as slippery as an eel , making it challenging for the detectives to gather enough evidence .

(as|) (phony|queer|counterfeit) as a three-dollar bill [phrase]

not true, real, or genuine

Ex:

bats in the belfry [phrase]

an unconventional or unique behavior that is often considered crazy, risky, or confusing

Ex: While the Johnsons may have their quirks , they 're not the only ones in the neighborhood with bats in the belfry .

(as|) mad as a (hatter|March hare) [phrase]

used to refer to someone who is in a very chaotic state of mind and is behaving very abnormally

Ex: In the past , people sometimes attributed eccentric behavior to being as mad as a hatter , unaware of the toxic effects of mercury exposure .

to [blow] hot and cold [phrase]

to change one's opinions about something often and quickly, sometimes being enthusiastic and other times indifferent or negative

Ex: The manager blew hot and cold during the meeting , first praising the idea then criticizing it .

the nature of the beast [phrase]

the inherent characteristics or qualities of a particular situation, person, or thing, often referring to traits that are difficult to change or control

Ex: The CEO 's aggressive tactics in the industry are the nature of the beast , but some employees find them unethical .

holier than the Pope [phrase]

so extreme and strict in one's adherence to a set of rules, norms, behaviors, etc. that it exeeds what is considered usual

Ex: In the past , some religious authorities would accuse certain individuals of being holier than the Pope , questioning their motives .

bad egg [noun]

someone who is not considered honest, trustworthy, or a good person in general

Ex: The company 's management discovered a bad egg among the employees who was embezzling funds .

out of {one's} mind [phrase]

(of a person) extremely unreasonable, or mentally ill

Ex: The patient 's delusions and hallucinations indicate that he is out of his mind and needs immediate medical attention .

waste of skin [phrase]

a person who is considered to be completely worthless or useless and is viewed as a burden or waste of space

Ex: The boss called him a waste of skin after he made another costly mistake at work .

(as|) quick as a dog can lick a dish [phrase]

used to refer to the act of doing something as fast as one can

Ex: He made his decision quick as a dog can lick a dish , without taking the time to consider the consequences .

behind the times [phrase]

(of a person) not keeping up with current trends, ideas, or advancements

Ex: He still uses a VHS player ; he 's really behind the times .

Personality
Unpleasant Traits	Unappealing Characteristics	Pretentious	Talkative
Unintelligent	Skilled & Smart	Strong & Confident	Honest
Nice	Lively & Energetic	Proud & Arrogant	Senseless or Awkward