Bedeutung: alphorn

Alphorn {n}

horn Idiom

a thorn in my side

one who causes pain, one who bugs me He's always been a thorn in my side - always critical of me.

horn in

interfere, intrude, butt in We were playing a game of tag, and the big guys tried to horn in.

horn in on

come in without an invitation or welcome, interfere He horned in on our conversation although he knows that nobody likes him.

horny

ready for sex, wanting to have sex, aroused How come you're never horny when I am?

mad as a hornet

very angry, in a fighting mood He was as mad as a hornet when he came to work this morning.

pull in your horns

not be so aggressive, stop attacking or citicizing Father's advice is to pull in your horns or you could be dismissed.

stir up a hornet

make many people angry, do something that many people don

take the bull by the horns

take decisive action and not worry about the results My aunt decided to take the bull by the horns and begin preparations for the family reunion.

thorn in my side

(See a thorn in my side)

toot your own horn

brag, talk about your own success Since Ted won the bowling trophy he's been tooting his own horn.

pull in one's horns

1．reduce one's boast；calm down from a quarrel收敛言语；停上吵架
He pulled in his horns when he realized that his boasting was not impressing me．当他意识到他的自吹对我不起作用时，就缩回去了。
2．reduce spending or activity缩减开支或活动
After the business failed，father had to pull in his horns．经营失败后，父亲只得缩减开支。

toot one's own horn

Idiom(s): toot one's own horn AND blow one's own horn

Theme: BOASTING - CONCEIT

to boast or praise oneself.
• Tom is always tooting his own horn. Is he really as good as he says he is?
• I find it hard to blow my own horn, but I manage.

stir up a hornet's nest

Idiom(s): stir up a hornet's nest

Theme: TROUBLE

to create trouble or difficulties. (Informal.)
• What a mess you have made of things. You've really stirred up a hornet's nest.
• Bill stirred up a hornet's nest when he discovered the theft.

on the horns of a dilemma

Idiom(s): on the horns of a dilemma

Theme: ALTERNATIVES

having to decide between two things, people, etc.
• Mary found herself on the horns of a dilemma. She didn't know which to choose.
• I make up my mind easily. I'm not on the horns of a dilemma very often.

lock horns

Idiom(s): lock horns (with sb)

Theme: ARGUMENT

to get into an argument with someone. (Informal.)
• Let's settle this peacefully. I don't want to lock horns with the boss.
• The boss doesn't want to lock horns either.

a thorn in one's side

Idiom(s): be a thorn in one's side

Theme: ANNOYANCE

to be a constant bother or annoyance to someone.
• This problem is a thorn in my side. I wish I had a solution to it.
• John was a thorn in my side for years before I finally got rid of him.

seize the bull by the horns

Idiom(s): take the bull by the horns AND seize the bull by the horns

Theme: DETERMINATION

to meet a challenge directly.
• If we are going to solve this problem, someone is going to have to take the bull by the horns.
• This threat isn't going to go away by itself. We are going to seize the bull by the horns and settle this matter once and for all.

blow one's own horn

Blow your own horn

If you blow your own horn, you boast about your achievements and abilities. ('Blow your own trumpet' is an alternative form.)

Grab the bulls by its horns

If you grab (take) the bull by its horns, you deal head-on and directly with a problem.

Greenhorn

A greenhorn or someone who is described simply as green lacks the relevant experience and knowledge for their job or task

Hornets' nest

A hornets' nest is a violent situation or one with a lot of dispute. (If you create the problem, you 'stir up a hornets' nest'.)

Horns of a dilemma

If you are on the horns of a dilemma, you are faced with two equally unpleasant options and have to choose one.

Mess with a bull, you get the horns

If you do something stupid or dangerous, you can get hurt.

Take the bull by its horns

Taking a bull by its horns would be the most direct but also the most dangerous way to try to compete with such an animal. When we use the phrase in everyday talk, we mean that the person we are talking about tackles their problems directly and is not worried about any risks involved.

Thorn in your side

A thorn in your side is someone or something that causes trouble or makes life difficult for you.

Toot you own horn

If someone toot their own horn, they like to boast about their achievements.

There is no rose without a thorn.

Unalloyed happiness is impossible, because joy and sorrow go together.

God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb.

Heaven is more kind to the weak.

God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb|God|lamb|sh

literary A person who is already helpless will not have more trouble; you will not have more trouble than you can bear. After Mr. Smith lost his job, the Smith's house caught fire, but the fire was put out before much harm was done. Mr. Smith said, "God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb."
Antonym: IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS.

bed of thorns|bed|thorn|thorns

n. phr. A thoroughly unhappy time or difficult situation. I'm sorry I changed jobs; my new one turned out to be a bed of thorns. See: BED OF NAILS.

blow one's own horn|blow|horn|toot|toot one's own

v. phr., slang To praise yourself; call attention to your own skill, intelligence, or successes; boast. People get tired of a man who is always blowing his own horn. A person who does things well does not have to toot his own horn; his abilities will be noticed by others.

draw in one's horns|draw|horns|pull|pull in one's

v. phr., informal 1. To reduce your boasts; calm down from a quarrel; back down on a promise. He said he could beat any man there single-handed, but he pulled in his horns when Jack came forward. 2. To cut back from one's usual way of living; reduce spending or activities; save. After the business failed, Father had to pull in his horns. As one advances in years, it is prudent to pull in one's horns more and more as to physical activity.

horn in|horn

v., slang To come in without invitation or welcome; interfere. Often used with "on". Jack would often horn in on conversations discussing things he knew nothing about. Lee horned in on Ray and Annie and wanted to dance with Annie.
Compare: BUTT IN.

horns of a dilemma|horn|horns

n. phr. Two choices possible in a situation in which neither is wanted. Usually used after "on". Joe found himself on the horns of a dilemma; if he went to work, he'd miss seeing Mary; if he stayed out, he'd he too broke to take her anywhere.

mad as a hornet|hen|hop|hops|hornet|mad|mad as a w

adj. phr., informal In a fighting mood; very angry. When my father sees the dent in his fender, he'll be mad as a hornet. Bill was mad as hops when the fellows went on without him. Mrs. Harris was mad as a wet hen when the rabbits ate her tulips.

stir up a hornet's nest|hornet|hornet's nest|nest|

v. phr. To make many people angry; do something that many people don't like. The principal stirred up a hornet's nest by changing the rules at school.

take the bull by the horns|bull|horns|take

v. phr., informal To take definite action and not care about risks; act bravely in a difficulty. He decided to take the bull by the horns and demand a raise in salary even though it might cost him his job.
Compare: TAKE THE BIT IN ONE'S MOUTH, TAKE THE LAW INTO ONE'S OWN HANDS.

thorn in the flesh|flesh|side|thorn|thorn in one's

n. phr. Something that causes stubborn trouble; a constant bother; a vexation. The new voter organization soon became the biggest thorn in the senator's side. The guerrilla band was a thorn in the flesh of the invaders.

draw in one's horns

draw in one's horns
see pull in one's horns.

horn

horn
In addition to the idioms beginning with horn, also see blow one's own horn; lock horns; pull in one's horns; take the bull by the horns.
* * *
- horn in on
- horns of a dilemma, on the

hornet

hornet
see mad as a hornet; stir up a hornets' nest.

horns of a dilemma, on the

horns of a dilemma, on the
Faced with two equally undesirable alternatives. For example, I'm on the horns of a dilemma: if I sell the house now I have no place to live, but if I wait I may not get as good a price. This term was first recorded about 1600, but the idea of being caught on either one horn or the other (of an animal) was already expressed in Roman times.

stir up a hornets' nest

stir up a hornets' nest
Make trouble, cause a commotion, as in Asking for an audit of the treasurer's books stirred up a hornets' nest in the association. This metaphoric term, likening hornets to angry humans, dates from the first half of the 1700s.

thorn in one's flesh

thorn in one's flesh
Also, thorn in one's side. A constant source of irritation, as in Paul's complaining and whining are a thorn in my flesh, or Mother's always comparing us children—it's a thorn in our sides. This metaphoric expression appears twice in the Bible. In Judges 2:3 it is enemies that “shall be as thorns in your sides”; in II Corinthians 12:7 Paul says his infirmities are “given to me a thorn in the flesh.”