pet
Mrs. Astor's pet horse
old-fashioned Someone dressed or decorated very ostentatiously; someone who is particularly pretentious or showy in appearance. The "Mrs. Astor" in the phrase refers to American financier William Astor's wife Caroline, a legendary 19th-century New York City socialite known for her lavish parties. Look at her swanning about in all her furs and jewelry, like Mrs. Astor's pet horse.
See also: horse, pet
pet hate
A source of annoyance for one; a pet peeve. Ugh, my pet hate is people who chew with their mouths open.
See also: hate, pet
pet peeve
A typically minor issue that causes one frequent and recurring annoyance. It's always been my pet peeve when cars turn without using their signals. It drives me crazy! A: "Ugh, I hate it when people talk during a movie." B: "Oh, I know, that's my pet peeve, too!"
See also: peeve, pet
teacher's pet
1. A derogatory term for a teacher's favorite or favored student, typically one who has sought such favor by being ingratiatingly obedient. Jill's classmates called her a teacher's pet after she volunteered to supervise the class while the teacher was away. Being the teacher's pet will get you nowhere when the midterm exam rolls around.
2. By extension, a derogatory term for someone who has gained or attempts to gain the favor of an authority figure, typically in order to obtain preferential treatment. Jeff is the resident teacher's pet in the office. He brings the boss coffee every day.
See also: pet
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
pet hate
Fig. something that is disliked intensely and is a constant or repeated annoyance. My pet hate is being put on hold on the telephone. Another pet hate of mine is having to stand in line.
See also: hate, pet
pet peeve
Fig. a frequent annoyance; one's "favorite" or most often encountered annoyance. My pet peeve is someone who always comes into the theater after the show has started. Drivers who don't signal are John's pet peeve.
See also: peeve, pet
*teacher's pet
the teacher's favorite student. (*Typically: be ~; become ~.) Sally is the teacher's pet. She always gets special treatment. The other students don't like the teacher's pet.
See also: pet
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
pet peeve
A particular or recurring source of irritation, as in My pet peeve is that neighbor's cat running through my herb garden. [Early 1900s]
See also: peeve, pet
teacher's pet
A person who has gained favor with authority, as in Al has managed to be teacher's pet in any job he has held. This expression transfers the original sense of a teacher's favorite pupil to broader use. [1920s]
See also: pet
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
your, his, etc. pet ˈhate
(British English) (American English your, his, etc. pet ˈpeeve) something that you particularly dislike: She didn’t mind people smoking, but her pet hate was people blowing smoke in her face.See also: hate, pet
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
pet peeve
n. a major or principal annoyance or complaint. Dirty dishes in restaurants are my pet peeve.
See also: peeve, pet
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
pet peeve, one's
One’s favorite gripe, a recurring source of annoyance. The noun peeve is what linguists call a back formation from the adjective peevish, but its ultimate derivation, as well as that of pet, is apparently unknown. The pairing of the two, an Americanism, dates from the early 1900s.
See also: pet
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
teacher's pet
Someone who seeks preferential treatment. A derisive epithet hurled at a student who tries to curry a teacher's favor in hopes of a better grade. Such a charge, valid or not, often led to cloakroom or schoolyard challenges and bloody noses. Outside of school, it was applied to people who insinuated themselves to authority in the hope of special treatment. The French equivalent is “teacher's little cabbage.”
See also: pet
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price
- Astor
- borak
- accompany (one) on a/(one's) journey
- accompany on a journey
- a happy bunny
- a happy camper
- a stranger to (someone or something)
- be out of (one's) league
- be out of somebody's league
- be in bad with (someone)