English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions 

COMPARISONS - SIMILARITY, page 7

Idioms relating to comparisons and similarities
from:  'like watching the paint dry'   to:  'worlds apart'

• like watching the paint dry
  like watching grass grow
  • If an activity is like watching the paint dry or watching grass grow, it is extremely boring or tedious..
    "Working as a department store security guard must be a boring job. Keeping an eye on customers all day must be like watching the paint dry!
    
    
• like water off a duck's back
  • Criticism, advice or comments which have no effect on someone are said to be 'like water off a duck's back'.
    "He's been warned of the dangers of smoking but it's like water off a duck's back."
    
    
• like wildfire
  • If something such as news, rumours or gossip spreads like wildfire, it becomes widely known very fast.
    "As soon as the nomination was announced, the news spread like wildfire."
    
    
• much of a muchness
  • This expession means 'very similar' or 'almost alike'.
    "It's hard to choose between the two - they're much of a muchness really."
    
    
• (not) cut from the same cloth
  • If two people are cut from the same cloth, they are very similar in character or behaviour.
    "Although the brothers look alike, they are not cut from the same cloth. They each have their own personality."
    
    
• not a patch on
  • If something or someone is not a patch on an other, they are not nearly as good.
    "His second conference was not a patch on the first one."
    
    
• not in the same league as
  • If something is not in the same league, it is of much lower standard than something else.
    "He had a good voice but he wasn't in the same league as Pavarotti."
    
    
• not up to par
  • If something is not up to par, it does not meet the required standard.
    "He didn't get the job because his English was not up to par."
    
    
• a world of difference
  • When comparing two things or situations, the expression a world of difference means that there is a vast difference between them.
    "A swimming pool would make a world of difference in this climate."
    
    
• worlds apart
  • When two people are very different, they are said to be worlds apart.
    "As regards our political opinions, we're worlds apart."