Chicken Idioms & Proverbs - English Vocabulary

In my new home, I live right next to a farm.

I think that explains why recently

I've been seeing a chicken in our yard.

In any case, these frequent visits from the chicken

have reminded me that we have a lot of expressions

in English related to chickens.

Would you like to learn some?

Then let's get started.

In our first set of expressions related to chickens

we have two nouns.

The first: chicken.

A chicken is a coward.

If someone says, "Don't be a chicken!"

they're saying, "Don't be a coward."

"Don't be scared."

We can say this in a teasing way,

as a joke.

But because chicken means coward,

it's an insult.

It can be offensive,

so be careful.

The second is a noun phrase:

pecking order.

"To peck" is an action chickens do

with their beak, their mouth part.

They can peck at the ground.

Peck. Peck. Peck.

"Pecking order" refers to behavior within a group.

Not a group of chickens, but a group of people.

Pecking order is hierarchy.

It's everyone's status within a group.

If we ask, "What's the pecking order?"

We're asking, "What's the ranking

within a particular social group?"

In our second set of expressions related to chickens

we have four verbs.

The first: chicken out.

I already explained that a chicken is a coward.

So "to chicken out" is to decide

not to do something because you're a coward.

So if you chickened out,

you didn't do something because you were too afraid.

Next, flew the coop.

Usually said in the past tense: flew the coop.

A coop is a structure where we keep chickens.

It's where they live.

If the chickens flew the coop,

they got out.

If someone flew the coop,

They left. They're gone for good.

And it usually implies some kind of escape to freedom.

Next, run around like a chicken with its head cut off.

It's a very colorful and maybe not so pleasant image,

but to run around like a chicken with its head cut off

means that someone is going around in a crazy rush,

with little direction and no clear thinking.

They're very stressed and worried.

They're running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

And last, we have "walk on eggshells."

Often used in the progressive: (be) walking on eggshells.

Eggshells break. They crack easily.

If you're trying not to crack these eggshells,

you're walking carefully.

If you're walking on eggshells,

you're trying to be very careful.

You're afraid that maybe something you say

or something that you do

could offend or upset someone.

So if you're walking on eggshells,

you're being very careful not to upset anyone.

In our last set of expressions related to chickens,

we have two proverbs,

or wise sayings.

The first:

Don't count your chickens until (before) they hatch.

When chickens hatch, they come out of their eggs.

If you have eggs and you want to know

"How many chickens will you have?"

Well, you won't know until each chicken hatches.

This proverb means that you can't plan

on a successful outcome too soon.

You can't start planning to use resources

you have yet to obtain.

So don't count your chickens until (before) they hatch.

They second proverb:

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Why?

Because if you have all your eggs in one basket

and something happens to the basket,

you lose all your eggs.

So wisely you should put your eggs in different baskets.

This proverb means that you shouldn't invest

all that you have into one thing.

You shouldn't invest everything in one project.

Do you think you remember all eight expressions

related to chickens?

Let's review.

I'll show you a definition,

and you try to recall the word or expression.

[Use your "pause" button for more time to think.]

Let's start with the nouns.

Now the verbs.

And now the two proverbs.

I think you're ready for an exercise.

I'd like you try using the eight expressions in context.

That's all for now.

Thanks for watching. Happy studies!