like a bull in a china shop—said of a rough or clumsy person who is very careless and often breaks things:
- We told her it was a delicate situation but she went into the meeting like a bull in a china shop.
Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase like a bull at a gate—used of somebody acting with unchecked violence or impetuosity:
- Try to approach her the right way. she’s dead if scared of policemen and you will get nothing out of her if you go at it like a bull at a gate.
(see also Nonsense vs Twaddle vs Drivel vs Bunk vs Balderdash vs Poppycock vs Gobbledygook vs Trash vs Rot vs Bull )
like an elephant in the room—said of a problem that everyone knows well but no one talks about because it is embarrassing, etc.:
- Like an elephant in the room, Liz and Christoph don’t talk about what would have happened.
(see also See a pink elephant vs See the elephant and Pink elephant vs White elephant and Kill an elephant vs Shoot the bull )