SAMHLACHA (SIMILES) C-D

Cnuasaithe ag Donncha ÓBroin; An Dámhscoil Nua
(Compiled by Donncha ÓBroin; The New Bardic School)

C | D

C

Chomh cabach le giofóg As “gabby”/loquacious as a gypsy
cabach=babbling/talkative, giofóg=gypsy
Chomh caite le scian fheamainne As worn/thin/emaciated as a stalk of seaweed
(Said of a person after illness or hunger)

caite=worn/emaciated, scian fheamainne=stalk of seaweed after it’s leaf is worn away
Chomh caite le cú As thin as a hound
caite=thin/worn/emaciated, cú=hound
Chomh caite le coinlín As worn/wizened as a cut corn-stalk
(Said of an old person’s fingers. Ex., “Bhí a méara chomh caite le coinlí.”)

caite=worn/wizened, coinlín=cut corn-stalks/stubble
Chomh calma le Fionn Mac Cumhaill As brave as Fion Mac Cumhaill
calma=brave, Fionn Mac Cumhaill=legendary leader of the Fianna
Chomh cam le hadharc reithe As crooked as a ram’s horn
cam=crooked, reithe=ram
Chomh cam le tuar ceatha As crooked/bent as a rainbow
(Literally, portent of a shower)

cam=crooked, tuar ceatha=rainbow
Chomh cam le cos deiridh an mhadra As crooked as a dog’s hind leg
cam=crooked, cos=leg, deireadh=end, madra=dog
Chomh cantalach le mála easóg As bad-tempered as a bag of weasels
cantalach=bad-tempered, mála=bag, easóg=weasel
Chomh caoch le smután As blind as a stump
caoch=blind, smután=stump
Chomh caoch le cearc As blind as a hen
caoch=blind, cearc=hen
Chomh caol le cú As slender as a greyhound
caol=slender cú=greyhound
Chomh cas le carr cruite As curly as the shaft of a harp
(This is a simile from the Old-Irish period referring to a person’s hair)

cas=curly/winding, carr=an old word meaning a shaft, cruit=harp
Chomh casta le duisín snáith As complicated as a hank of yarn
casta=complicated, duisín=hank/length, snáth=thread/yarn
Chomh casta le hadharc gabhair As twisted/complicated as a goat’s horn
casta=twisted/complicated, adharc=horn, gabhar=goat
Chomh ceanndána le muc As stubborn as a pig
ceanndána=stubborn muc=pig
Chomh ceanndána le bodóg stailceach As stubborn as a sulky heifer
(Irish Bible)

ceanndána=stubborn, bodóg=heifer, stailceach=sulky
Chomh céasta le scadán rósta As tormented as a roasted herring
céasta=tormented, scadán=herring
Chomh ciallmhar le Solamh As sensible as Solomon
ciallmhar=sensible, Solamh=Solomon (Biblical king)
Chomh cinnte is a ndearna Dia fataí beaga As sure as God made little potatoes
cinnte=sure/certain, fataí=potatoes
Chomh cinnte is a leanann boige earraigh cuisne geimhridh As certain as spring softness follows winter ice
cinnte=sure/certain, earrach=spring, geimhreadh=winter
Chomh cinnte is atá cros ar asal As certain as there is cross on a donkey
cinnte=sure,certain, cros=cross, asal=donkey
Chomh cinnte le breacadh an lae As certain as the dawn
cinnte=sure/certain, breacadh an lae=dawn
Chomh cinnte le sioc As certain as frost
cinnte=sure/certain, sioc=frost
Chomh ciúin le linn As quiet as a pool
ciúin=quiet, linn=pool
Chomh ciúin leis an reilg As quiet as the graveyard
ciúin=quiet, reilg=graveyard
Chomh ciúin leis an uaigh As quiet as the grave
ciúin=quiet, uaigh=grave
Chomh clúdaithe le poll fataí As well covered as a potato hole (clamp)
clúdaithe=covered, poll fataí=potato hole for storing potatoes in the ground
Chomh cnaptha le gráinneog As rolled up/in a lump as a hedgehog
cnaptha=rolled up, gráinneog=hedgehog
Chomh cneasta le sagart As decent as a priest
cneasta=decent/nice, sagart=priest
Chomh colgach le heasóg As angry/bristling as a weasel
colgach=angry/bristling, easóg=weasel
Chomh corrthónach le cearc ar ghreideall As fidgety as a hen on a griddle
corrthó=fidgety, cearc=hen, greideall=griddle
Chomh corrthónach leis an ngaoth Mhárta As fidgety as the March wind
corrthónach=fidgety, gaoth=wind, Márta=month of March
Chomh críonna leis na cait As wise as the cats
críonna=wise/old (age and wisdom are regarded as synonymous)
Chomh crosta le cat fiáin As cross as a wild cat
crosta=cross, cat=cat, fiáin=wild
Chomh crua le cloch As hard as a stone
crua=hard, cloch=stone
Chomh cruachroíach le hostraisí an fhásaigh As hard-hearted as the ostriches of the desert
(Irish Bible)

cruachroíach=hard-hearted, ostrais=ostrich, fásach=desert
Chomh cruinn le liathróid As round as a ball
cruinn=round, liathróid=ball
Chomh cruinn le hubh loin As round as a bird’s egg
(Said of a person’s eyes; from the Old-Irish period)

cruinn=round, lon=bird (particularly a blackbird)
Chomh cúlánta le cailín As shy as a girl
cúlánta=shy, cailín=girl

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D

Chomh daibhir le daol dubh As poor as a beetle (i.e., as poor as a churchmouse)
daibhir=poor, daol dubh=black beetle
Chomh dáigh le diamaint As unyielding as a diamond
(Irish Bible)

dáigh=obstinate/unyielding, diamaint=diamond
Chomh daingean le bun crainn As firm as the base of a tree
daingean=firm/solid, bun=base, crann=tree
Chomh dall le bonn do bhróige As blind as the sole of your shoe
dall=blind, bróg=shoe
Chomh dall le cearc san oíche As blind as a hen in the night
(Said of people who find themselves suddenly in the dark)

dall=blind, cearc=hen, oíche=night
Chomh dána le muc As bold as a pig
dána=bold, muc=pig
Chomh dána leis an diabhal As bold as the devil
dána=bold, diabhal=devil
Chomh daor le h-im na Fraince As dear as French butter
(A simile that was coined in Co. Down in the 18th Century)

daor=dear/expensive, im=butter, an Fhrainc=France
Chomh dealraitheach le solas na gréine As respendent as the sun
dealraitheach= resplendent, solas na gréine=light of the sun
Chomh dealraitheach lena athrach As likely as not
dealraitheach=likely/resplendent, athrach=change/alternative
Chomh dearg le caor As red as a berry
dearg=red, caor=berry
Chomh dearg le fuil As red as blood
dearg=red, fuil=blood
Chomh dearg leis an rós As red as the rose
dearg=red, rós=rose
Chomh dearmadach leis an Diabhal As forgetful as the Devil
dearmadach=forgetful, Diabhal=Devil
Chomh deas le bláth bealtaine As nice/lovely as a May flower
deas=nice, bláth=flower, Bealtaine=May
Chomh deilgneach le gráinneog As prickly as a hedgehog
deilgneach=prickly, gráinneog=hedgehog
Chomh díbhirceach le beach As ardent/eager as a bee
díbhirceach=industrious, beach=bee
Chomh dícheallach leis na beacha As eager/industrious as a bee
dícheallach=doing one’s best, beach=bee
Chomh díomhaoin le damh san eadra As idle as an ox (male) at the midday milking
díomhaoin=idle, eadra=midday milking
Chomh díomhaoin le ladhraicín an phíobaire As idle as a piper’s little finger
díomhaoin=idle, ladhraicín=little finger
Chomh díonmhar le buidéal As watertight as a bottle
díonmhar=waterproof, buidéal=bottle
Chomh díreach le bradán i lár na habhann As straight as a salmon in the middle of the river
díreach=straight, bradán=salmon, lár=middle, abha=river
Chomh díreach le coinneall As straight as a candle
díreach=straight, coinneall=candle
Chomh díreach le feag As straight as a rush
díreach=straight, feag=rush
Chomh díreach le riail As straight as a ruler
díreach=straight, riail= ruler
Chomh díreach le slat As straight as a rod
díreach=straight, slat=(ram)rod
Chomh díscréideach le bosca na faoistine As discreet as the confession box
díscréideach=discreet, bosca=box, faoistin=confession
Chomh dócha lena athrach As likely as not
dócha=likely, athrach=change/alternative
Chomh domhain leis an fharraige As deep as the sea
domhain=deep, farraige=sea
Chomh donnbhuí le cnó capall As yellow-brown as a chestnut
(Expression commenting on a tanned appearance. Ex., “Bhí a chraiceann chomh donnbhuí le cnó capall.” Irish forms new colors by combining existing ones.)

donn=brown, buí=yellow, cnó capall=chestnut
Chomh doshásaithe leis an mbás As insatiable as death
(Irish Bible)

doshásaithe=insatiable, bás=death
Chomh dubh le cleite an fhéich As black as the raven’s feather
dubh=black, cleite=feather, fiach=raven
Chomh dubh le pic As black as pitch
dubh=black, pic=pitch
Chomh dubh leis a mbás As black as death
(Old-Irish period)

dubh=black, bás=death
Chomh dubh leis an daol As black as a beetle
dubh=black, daol=beetle
Chomh dubh leis an tsúiche As black as soot
dubh=black, súiche=soot
Chomh dúr doicheallach le colúr céileachais a mbeadh cochall air le ceann dá threibh As dour/churlish as a courting pigeon whose hackles were up with with one of his own tribe
dúr=obstinate/dour, doicheallach=unhospitable, colúr=pigeon, céileachas=courting, cochall=hackles, treibh=tribe
Chomh dúr le hasal As obstinate as an ass
dúr=obstinate, asal=ass
Chomh dúr le slis As stupid as a chip
dúr=stupid/obstinate, slis=chip/slice

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