| E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898. |
| | | Similes in common use:— | | |
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| BALD as a coot. |
| BITTER as gall, as soot. |
| BLACK as ink, as a coal, as a crow |
| BLIND as a bat, a beetle, a mole. |
| BLUNT as a hedge-hook. |
| BRAVE as Alexander. |
| BRIGHT as silver. |
| BRITTLE as glass. |
| BROWN as a berry. |
| BUSY as a bee. |
| CHATTER like a jay. |
| CLEAR as crystal. |
| COLD as ice, as a frog, as charity. |
| COOL as a cucumber. |
| CROSS as the tongs, as two sticks. |
| DARK as pitch [pitch-dark]. |
| DEAD as a door-nail. |
| DEAF as a post. |
| DRY as a bonc. |
| FAIR as a lily. |
| FALSE as a hell. |
| FAT as a pig, as a porpoise. |
| FLAT as a flounder, as a pancake. |
| FLEET as the wind, as a racehorse. |
| FREE as air. |
| GAY as a lark. |
| GOOD as gold. |
| GREEN as grass. |
| HARD as iron, as a flint. |
| HARMLESS as a dove. |
| HEAVY as lead. |
| HOARSE as a hog, as a raven. |
| HELPLESS as a babe. |
| HOLLOW as a drum. |
| HOT as fire, as an oven, as a coal. |
| HUNGRY as a hunter. |
| LIGHT as a feather, as day. |
| LIMP as a glove. |
| LOUD as thunder. |
| MERRY as a grig, as a cricket. |
| MILD as Moses, as milk. |
| NEAT as wax, as a new pin. |
| OBSTINATE as a pig (pig-headed.) |
| OLD as the hills, as Methuselah. |
| PALE as a ghost. |
| PATIENT as Job. |
| PLAIN as a pikestaff. |
| PLAYFUL as a kitten. |
| PLUMP as a partridge. |
| POOR as a rat, as a church mouse, as Job. |
| PROUD as Lucifer. |
| RED as blood, as a fox, a rose, a brick. |
| ROUGH as a nutmeg-grater. |
| ROUND as an orange, a ball. |
| RUDE as a bear. |
| SAFE as the bank [of England], or the stocks. |
| SAVAGE as a bear, as a tiger, as a bear with a sore head. |
| SICK as a cat, a dog, a horse, a road. |
| SHARP as a needle. |
| SLEEP like a top. |
| SLOW as a snail, as a tortoise. |
| SLY as a fox, as old boots. |
| SOFT as silk, as velvet, as soap. |
| SOUND as a roach, as a bell. |
| SOUR as vinegar, as verjuice. |
| STARE like a stuck pig. |
| STEADY as Old Time |
| STIFF as a poker. |
| STRAIGHT as an arrow. |
| STRONG as iron, as a horse, as brandy. |
| SURE as a gun, as fate, as death and taxes. |
| SURLY as a bear. |
| SWEET as sugar. |
| SWIFT as lighting, as the wind, as an arrow. |
| THICK as hops. |
| THIN as a lath, as a whipping-post. |
| TIGHT as a drum. |
| TOUGH as leather. |
| TRUE as the Gospel. |
| VAIN as a peacock. |
| WARM as a toast. |
| WEAK as water. |
| WET as a fish. |
| WHITE as driven snow, as milk, as a swan, as a sheet, as chalk. |
| WISE as a serpent, as Solomon. |
| YELLOW as a guinea, as gold, as saffron. | |
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