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Personality - Unpleasant Traits

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

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English idioms related to Personality
(as|) cross as two sticks

used to refer to an extremely angry or impatient person

Ex: He was as cross as two sticks after waiting an hour. 
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penny wise and pound foolish

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

Ex: He is penny wise and pound foolish with his car repairs. 
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rotten egg

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

Ex: Everyone knew he was a rotten egg, but they still gave him another chance. 
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cold fish
cold fish
[noun]

someone who does not express emotions and is considered unfriendly

Ex: Everyone thought he was a cold fish, but he was just shy. 
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piece of work

a person who is difficult, unpleasant, or extraordinary in behavior

Ex: That manager is a real piece of work. 
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(as|) cold as (any|) stone

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

Ex: He stayed as cold as stone when everyone begged for mercy. 
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dog in the manger

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

Ex: Stop being a dog in the manger and let your sister use the bike. 
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off {one's} rocker

in a state affected with madness or insanity

Ex: He must be off his rocker if he thinks that plan will work. 
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(as|) nutty as a fruitcake

(of a person) crazy or exhibiting odd behavior

Ex: He must be nutty as a fruitcake to climb that mountain alone. 
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loose cannon

a person who has lost their sanity, often momentarily

Ex: He became a loose cannon after the argument. 
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all {one's} geese [are] swans

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

Ex: With him, all his geese are swans; every small idea becomes a grand invention. 
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(as|) (cunning|sly) as a fox

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

Ex: He is sly as a fox when negotiating a deal. 
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(as|) slippery as (an eel|a snake)

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

Ex: He is slippery as an eel when anyone asks about the missing money. 
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(as|) (phony|queer|counterfeit) as a three-dollar bill

not true, real, or genuine

Ex: His apology was phony as a three-dollar bill. 
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bats in the belfry

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

Ex: People say he has bats in the belfry because he wants to sail alone across the ocean. 
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(as|) mad as a (hatter|March hare)

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

Ex: He was mad as a hatter after three nights without sleep. 
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to [blow] hot and cold

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

Ex: He blows hot and cold about joining the team; one day he's excited, the next he's hesitant. 
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the nature of the beast

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

Ex: Stress is just the nature of the beast in this job. 
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holier than the Pope

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

Ex: He is holier than the Pope about office rules. 
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bad egg
bad egg
[noun]

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

Ex: Everyone warned me he was a bad egg. 
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out of {one's} mind

(of a person) extremely unreasonable, or mentally ill

Ex: He must be out of his mind to quit such a stable job. 
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waste of skin

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

Ex: He's a waste of skin, never contributes anything useful. 
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(as|) quick as a dog can lick a dish

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

Ex: He finished the form as quick as a dog can lick a dish. 
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behind the times

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

Ex: He is behind the times when it comes to technology. 
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