The very
common
fixed figurative expression as ___
___ as a(n) ___
is often used in informal
conversation.
Here are
more examples, comments on meanings, and
notes on how the examples might
be
used:
as _____ as a(n) _____ (#5)
as tight
as the bark on a tree:
very
conservative in
spending
money; stingy; miserly.
(Bark is the "skin"
of a tree; it's connected very
tightly to the wood
of
the
tree.
Tight is slang for "stingy" or
"miserly.")
Don't expect Uncle Jim to lend
you any
money. He's
as tight as
the bark on a tree.
as tough
as nails: strong and hardy;
able to manage
difficult
situations with no
problems; the opposite of
frail
or delicate. (used to describe
people)
Yes, Juan has had some problems,
but you
shouldn't worry
about him.
He'll manage
everything
very well because he's as
tough
as nails.
as
tough
as shoe leather: very
difficult
to chew
(used
to describe
food). Note: Shoe leather is
the
very strong animal
skin used to
make leather shoes.
| A: |
|
How's your
steak? |
| |
|
|
| B: |
|
Terrible! It's as tough
as shoe leather!
I can barely cut it and I
can't chew it at all! |
as ugly
as sin: very ugly; very unattractive;
homely
(used to describe
people or
things).
Pierre thinks his girlfriend
is the most
beautiful
woman in the world.
Personally,
I think
she's as ugly as sin.
You don't reallylike
that painting, do
you?
I
think it's
as ugly as sin!
as white
as a ghost / as white
as a sheet:
very pale
(describes the way people look
when they are
very
frightened
or
shocked).
What happened, Mimi? You're
as white
as a
ghost!
Something terrible has happened
to Chuck.
He's
as
white as a sheet!
Special
Notes
| 1. |
|
Notice that in "as tight as the bark
on a
tree,"
the
is used before
bark, not a. ("A
bark"
refers
to the sound of a
dog.) |
| |
|
|
| 2. |
|
As tough as nails is
unusual because it uses
a
plural
noun after
as. |
| |
|
|
| 3. |
|
In as tough as shoe
leather
and as ugly as
sin,
no article is
used before leather or sin
because
they're both uncountable
nouns. |
to be continued . . .
.
.
| 
