Wise Owl Idioms

I received this pic in my mailbox and instantly got inspired.

Here is my take on the word OWL.

What does the idiom “as wise as an owl” mean?

• It means someone who is really smart. In lots of stories and myths, owls were associated with wisdom.
• Some synonyms are: wise; worldy- wise; experienced or intelligent.
• Owls have a reputation for being wise because their large eyes and stern, professional glare make them look educated. Often, their eyes are “framed” as if they’re wearing eyeglasses, which many associate with studious work. And their large, feathery heads seem to have plenty of room for big brains.

Some famous quotes referring to wise owls:

• “Can grave and formal pass for wise when men the solemn Owl despise?” => Benjamin Franklin.
• “A wise old owl sat on an oak; the more he saw, the less he spoke; the less he spoke, the more he heard. Why aren’t we like that wise old bird?” – Edward H. Richards.

Conversation Questions:

• Did any of your school teachers remind you of a wise owl?
• Do you know any wise owls today?

What does the idiom “a night owl” mean?

• “a night owl”:This refers to a person who habitually stays up late and is active or who works at night, as in “You can call her after midnight, because she’s a night owl”. The term derives from the primary nocturnal habits of the owl. Usually, people who are night owls stay awake past midnight and extreme night owls may stay awake until just before or after dawn.
• Night owls tend to feel most energetic just before they go to sleep at night.
• Some curious synonyms for ‘a night owl’ are: lacking restraint; indulgent; wayward; wicked or wanton!
• This colloquial term, originally used in the late 1500s for an owl that is active at night, was transferred to nocturnal human beings in the mid- 1800s. There is the sense of “one who seeks prey at night, one who stays up late”.

Who are some famous night owls?

• Thomas Edison;
• Adolf Hitler (during WWII, slept from about 4 to 10 am and napped between 5 and 7pm);
• Winston Churchill;
• James Joyce;
• Joseph Stalin.

Conversation Questions:

1. Are you a night owl?
2. Do you know anyone who’s a night owl?
3. Do they work better at night?

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LEM..xo!

p.s. Thanks SLP for your precious work.