भीगी बिल्ली की तरह

English translation: Like a whipped dog

09:24 Aug 20, 2009
Hindi to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings / Idioms
Hindi term or phrase: भीगी बिल्ली की तरह
Greetings,

भीगी बिल्ली की तरह is obviously a description of servility. Here’s the full sentence:
बात यह है न, कि खन्ना जी ख़ुद पंजाबी हैं; और उनके सामने प्रकाश एकदम दब जाते हैं – भीगी बिल्ली की तरह !

Please excuse my ignorance about cats – what is servile about a wet cat, please?

Best wishes,

Simon
SeiTT
United Kingdom
Local time: 12:53
English translation:Like a whipped dog
Explanation:
Cats are supposed to not like water. So when a cat is made wet, it feels extremely uncomfortable, sorry for itself and utterly servile.

The corresponding English proverb/idiom is like a whipped dog.
Selected response from:

Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 18:23
Grading comment
many thanks excellent
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2to be very meek and quiet (भीगी बिल्ली बनना)
Lalit Sati
4 +1As an odd man out/as a wolf in lamb's clothing
Ramesh Bhatt
3 +1Like a whipped dog
Balasubramaniam L.
2Like a soggy moggy!
nke


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Like a whipped dog


Explanation:
Cats are supposed to not like water. So when a cat is made wet, it feels extremely uncomfortable, sorry for itself and utterly servile.

The corresponding English proverb/idiom is like a whipped dog.

Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 18:23
Native speaker of: Native in HindiHindi
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
many thanks excellent

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  nke
1 day 18 mins
  -> Thank you.
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10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
As an odd man out/as a wolf in lamb's clothing


Explanation:
भीगी बिल्ली is a well known expression, its idiomatic expression in English is "wolf in lamb's clothing"; but this is a negative and disrespectful expression in respect to a person. Hence "odd man out", "in fixes", "in fives and sixes", "uncomfortable" etc., will be the better expressions to use.

Ramesh Bhatt
Nepal
Local time: 18:38
Native speaker of: Native in UrduUrdu, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Quamrul Islam: I like it !
2 days 1 hr
  -> Thank you very much
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15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
to be very meek and quiet (भीगी बिल्ली बनना)


Explanation:

भीगी बिल्ली बनना
-to be very meek and quiet
-to behave in too submissive a manner

(Hindi-English Dictionary, Aliied Publishers, India)

Lalit Sati
India
Local time: 18:23
Native speaker of: Native in HindiHindi

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  nke
1 day 9 mins
  -> धन्यवाद

agree  Siddhi Talati
8 days
  -> धन्यवाद
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1 day 28 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
Like a soggy moggy!


Explanation:
This might apply to someone who is in a pitable state unable to stand up for himself, so am not sure if it is as perfect as 'like a whipped dog' idom suggested by Balasubramanium -ji.

nke
Local time: 12:53
Native speaker of: Gujarati
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