rare/scarce as hen's teeth

(as) rare as hens' teeth

Incredibly scarce or rare; extremely difficult or impossible to find. Support for the president is as rare as hens' teeth in this part of the country.

*scarce as hen's teeth

and scarcer than hen's teeth

Cliché scarce; seldom found. (*Also: as ~.) I do declare, decent people are as scarce as hen's teeth in these chaotic times. Handmade lace is scarcer than hen's teeth; most lace is made by machine.

See also: scarce, teeth

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

scarce as hen's teeth

Also, scarcer than hen's teeth. Exceptionally rare, as in On a rainy night, taxis are as scarce as hen's teeth. Since hens have no teeth, this term in effect says that something is so scarce as to be nonexistent. [Mid-1800s]

See also: scarce, teeth

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

rare as hen's teeth

scarce as hen's teeth

OLD-FASHIONED

If something is as rare as hen's teeth or as scarce as hen's teeth, it is extremely rare. Record companies are becoming as rare as hen's teeth. Note: Hens do not have teeth.

rare (or scarce) as hen's teeth

extremely rare.

As hens do not possess teeth, the implication is that something is rare to the point of non-existence. The phrase was originally a US colloquialism, dating from the mid 19th century.

(as) rare/scarce as hen’s ˈteeth

(old-fashioned) extremely rare: Critics always complain that good movies that the whole family can see together are as scarce as hen’s teeth.

This refers to the fact that hens do not have teeth.

scarce as hen's teeth

Singularly rare. Also put as scarcer than hen’s teeth, this allusion to nonexistent dentition is an Americanism of the nineteenth century. It appeared in James Gilmore’s My Southern Friends (1863): “Horses are scarcer than hen’s teeth around here.”

See also: scarce, teeth

The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer

scarce as hen's teeth

Nonexistent. Hens have no teeth, so what could possibly be scarcer? (Stones in their gizzards act as teeth to grind their food).

See also: scarce, teeth

Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price

See also:

(as) rare as hens' teeth
rare
rare as hen's teeth
scarce
be as scarce as hen's teeth
rarer than hens' teeth
scarcer
scarcer than hens' teeth
scarce as hen's teeth
(as) scarce as hens' teeth

词组	rare/scarce as hen's teeth
释义	rare/scarce as hen's teeth (as) rare as hens' teeth Incredibly scarce or rare; extremely difficult or impossible to find. Support for the president is as rare as hens' teeth in this part of the country. See also: rare, teeth Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. scarce as hen's teeth and scarcer than hen's teeth* Cliché scarce; seldom found. (Also: as ~.) I do declare, decent people are as scarce as hen's teeth in these chaotic times. Handmade lace is scarcer than hen's teeth; most lace is made by machine. See also: scarce, teeth McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. scarce as hen's teeth Also, scarcer than hen's teeth. Exceptionally rare, as in On a rainy night, taxis are as scarce as hen's teeth. Since hens have no teeth, this term in effect says that something is so scarce as to be nonexistent. [Mid-1800s] See also: scarce, teeth The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. rare as hen's teeth or scarce as hen's teeth OLD-FASHIONED If something is as rare as hen's teeth* or as scarce as hen's teeth, it is extremely rare. Record companies are becoming as rare as hen's teeth. Note: Hens do not have teeth. See also: rare, teeth Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. rare (or scarce) as hen's teeth extremely rare. As hens do not possess teeth, the implication is that something is rare to the point of non-existence. The phrase was originally a US colloquialism, dating from the mid 19th century. See also: rare, teeth Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary (as) rare/scarce as hen’s ˈteeth (old-fashioned) extremely rare: Critics always complain that good movies that the whole family can see together are as scarce as hen’s teeth. This refers to the fact that hens do not have teeth. See also: rare, scarce, teeth Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary scarce as hen's teeth Singularly rare. Also put as scarcer than hen’s teeth, this allusion to nonexistent dentition is an Americanism of the nineteenth century. It appeared in James Gilmore’s My Southern Friends (1863): “Horses are scarcer than hen’s teeth around here.” See also: scarce, teeth The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer scarce as hen's teeth Nonexistent. Hens have no teeth, so what could possibly be scarcer? (Stones in their gizzards act as teeth to grind their food). See also: scarce, teeth Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price See also: (as) rare as hens' teeth rare rare as hen's teeth scarce be as scarce as hen's teeth rarer than hens' teeth scarcer scarcer than hens' teeth scarce as hen's teeth (as) scarce as hens' teeth
随便看	take the fall (for someone or something) take the field take the Fifth take the fifth (amendment) take the first crack at (something) take the floor take the game to take the gas pipe take the gilt off the gingerbread take the gloves off take the goods the gods provide take the heat take the heat off take the heat off (of) (someone or something) take the heat off someone take the heat out of (something) take the heat out of something take the heat, to take the helm take the high ground take the high road take the hint take the hit (for someone or something) take the initiative take the King's/Queen's shilling