hen's tooth

hen's tooth

Something very scarce (because hens have no teeth). Typically used in phrases like "as scarce as a hen's tooth." I can hardly believe your brother got an A on his final exam—grades like that are as scarce as a hen's tooth for him!
See also: tooth
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • hens' teeth
  • (as) scarce as hens' teeth
  • scarce as hen's teeth
  • be able to count (someone or something) on one hand
  • be able to count (someone or something) on the fingers of one hand
  • be able to count somebody/something on one hand
  • make (oneself) scarce
  • make oneself scarce
  • make scarce
  • make yourself scarce
References in periodicals archive
The first was the fact her dad was a Conservative - they were rarer than a hen's tooth in Liverpool in the 70s.
Morland's Hen's Tooth (500ml), pounds 1.84 A blend of fruitiness and hops that combine to create a lasting taste.
But full-evening ballets are almost as rare as a hen's tooth in a cockfight.
Men's T-shirts and boxer shorts are good stand-bys but nothing beats a good lounge outfit and in an age where leisure is about as precious as a hen's tooth, it's important to make the most of your relaxation time.
Pietro Germi's 1962 Divorce - Italian Style (b&w; in Italian with subtitles; 104 minutes; Hen's Tooth Video) stars Marcello Mastroianni and takes place in a Sicilian town, "Agramonte," south of Catania.
Being broadband, unless you've got one of the hen's tooth ADSL lines, you won't be able to appreciate it.
"A combination of strength and character as rare as a hen's tooth," says the head brewer who launched Morland's first bottle-conditioned beer.