honesty is the best policy
idiom
He realized honesty is the best policy and told them what really happened to their car.
as old as the hills
idiom
So this message, that good, close relationships are good for our health and well-being, this is wisdom that’s as old as the hills. Why is this so hard to get and so easy to ignore? Well, we’re human. What we’d really like is a quick fix, something we can get that’ll make our lives good and keep them that way. Relationships are messy and they’re complicated and the hard work of tending to family and friends, it’s not sexy or glamorous. It’s also lifelong. It never ends. - What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness, by Robert Waldinger
(as) blind as a bat
idiom
Without glasses I’m blind as a bat.
I’m as blind as a bat without my glasses.
People in the U.S. use the phrase “blind as a bat” to rib someone for not being able to see well. - Myth Busting ‘Blind As A Bat’ And ‘Memory Of A Goldfish’
memory of a goldfish
There is a myth that goldfish have a memory of only three seconds.
For years, people have used: “You’ve got a memory like a goldfish,” as an insult, based on the misconception that they have a very short memory span. Actually, it’s a compliment. - Memory like a goldfish? Why this could be a good thing
Memory of a goldfish? Maybe you’re not so forgetful after all.
as deaf as a post
idiom
My grandmother’s a sweet old lady, but she’s as deaf as a post.
as good as gold
his promise is as good as gold
the child was as good as gold
The children were as good as gold while they stayed with their grandmother.
like the wind
idiom
We had to run like the wind to catch the bus!
as quiet as a mouse
idiom
In addition to being sophisticated, this appliance is both Energy Star and NSF certified, is as quiet as a mouse, and can both wash and dry dishes. — Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Oct. 2023
Paul is as quiet as a mouse. He never talks in meetings.
(as) big as life
I never expected her to come to the party, but there she was, as big as life.
People big as life, bright as day everywhere in this house. — Andrew Cockburn, Harper’s Magazine, 20 Aug. 2024
as busy as a bee
idiom
She’s as busy as a bee.
as clear as day/daylight/anything
idiom
The sign said/read “Keep Out” as clear as day/daylight/anything.
(as) pretty as a picture
And just like that, your living room can be as pretty as a picture. — Elise Taylor, Vogue, 19 Feb. 2021
(as) clear as a bell
Clear as a bell, I heard him say my name.
It was clear as a bell that morning—not a cloud in the sky.
The water was as clear as a bell.
a picture is worth a thousand words
idiom, Proverbs
As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. — Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
Just as a picture is worth a thousand words, a meme is worth a thousand tweets. — Ernesto Verdeja, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2025
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then how much is a video worth? — Kristen Moon, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024
(it’s) better (to be) safe than sorry
It’s probably not necessary to check the figures again, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
So, for your well-being and pocketbook, better to be safe than sorry. — USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2024
beauty is in the eye of the beholder
The clichés and the sayings about beauty are usually true, like how people say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2025
Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, meaning is in the mind of the interpreter. — Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024
a watched pot never boils
Stop sitting by the phone waiting to hear if you got the job. A watched pot never boils.
there’s no time like the present
“Should we do it now?” “Sure. There’s no time like the present.”
Stop complaining about your toothache and call the dentist. There’s no time like the present.
And there’s no time like the present to get it at the lowest possible price. — Jake Smith, Glamour, 27 Nov. 2023
a penny saved (is a penny earned)
Another study found that about 40% of Gen Xers don’t have a penny saved for retirement. — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 17 Dec. 2024
two heads are better than one
idiom
We need to work together to figure this out. Two heads are better than one.
eat crow
He was forced to eat crow when the company fired him.
Tesla would have to eat a lot of crow to change their mind on this, but what better way to eat crow than to do it in a splash announcement. — Brad Templeton, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024
He wanted to make his critics eat crow.
the so-called experts will be eating crow tonight.
eat humble pie
They had to eat humble pie when the rumors they were spreading were proved false.
After boasting that his company could outperform the industry’s best, he’s been forced to eat humble pie.
Anson was forced to eat humble pie and publicly apologise to her.