B1idiomnatureIELTS-friendly
shake like a leaf
USUK
to shake a lot because you are very frightened or nervous
Usually continuous: 'I was shaking like a leaf'. Vietnamese uses a different image ('cầy sấy'), so learners rarely guess it.
In context
Before my first job interview, I was shaking like a leaf in the waiting room.
The little boy shook like a leaf when the big dog ran towards him.
More idioms about nature
- a big fish in a small pondan important person, but only in a small group or place
- a bird's-eye viewa view of something from high above
- a breath of fresh airsomeone or something new and different that makes a situation more pleasant
- a dark horsea person with hidden talents, or a competitor nobody expected to do well
- a drop in the oceana very small amount compared with what is needed