a red flag to a bull
a red flag to a bull
A willfully infuriating or aggravating provocation; something that incites great anger or annoyance. An allusion to matadors' practice of waving red flags at a bull during a bullfight, though the color of the flag actually makes no difference to the animal. John's gone to gloat about his success over his brother, which is a red flag to a bull if I've ever seen one. You do realize that bringing your new girlfriend to your ex-wife's house is like a red flag to a bull, right?
See also: bull, flag, red
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
- a red rag to a bull
- be like a red flag to a bull
- be like a red rag to a bull
- close (one's) ears to (someone or something)
- a security blanket
- shut (one's) ears to (someone or something)
- shut/close your ears to somebody/something
- get (something) into (one's) thick head