🦚 Proud as a Peacock: Pompous Phrases and Haughty Humdingers
Having an exceedingly high opinion of oneself—one’s dignity or one’s importance. The comparison to a peacock, believed to allude to its strutting gait, dates from the thirteenth century. Chaucer used the simile several times, and it has often been repeated. “The self-applauding bird the peacock” is how William Cowper described it (Truth, 1781).
Similar Phrases and Expressions:
- Cocky as a Rooster: Equally strutting and conceited, often waking the neighborhood with their boasting.
- Stuck Up: Colloquial term describing someone who thinks they’re above everyone.
- High on the Hog: Indicates someone who is living well and showing it, perhaps a bit snootily.
Synonyms:
- Arrogant
- Conceited
- Vainglorious
Antonyms:
- Humble
- Modest
- Unassuming
Humor-filled Quotes:
- “He was so proud, even his shadow was strutting!” – Anonymous
- “If only peacocks could fly, they’d spend all day admiring their own reflection from above.” – W. T. Wittywords
Proverbs:
- “Pride goes before a fall.” – While ancient in origin, it stands as a caution against the perils of self-importance.
- “Empty vessels make the most noise.” – Often the loudest braggarts are the least impressive.
Literature, Books, and Poetry:
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: The title alone captures the essence of human vanity and conceit.
- The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde: Vanity leads to Dorian’s downfall.
- The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer: The original simile for this cliché.
Songs:
- “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars: Celebrate, but don’t get too proud!
- “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred: Anthem of self-aggrandizement.
Movies:
- The Devil Wears Prada (2006): A tale of fashion, pride, and learning humility.
- American Psycho (2000): Pride taken to horrifying levels.
Intriguing and Engaging Titles:
- Peacocking: Strut, Preen, Repeat
- Dances with the Self-Important
- Wings of Vanity: Tales of Conceit
- The Strut Chronicles
- Majestic and Unaware
### Which of these phrases conveys self-importance?
- [x] Proud as a peacock
- [ ] Swift as a deer
- [ ] Hungry as a wolf
- [ ] Sly as a fox
> **Explanation:** "Proud as a peacock" is widely known for describing someone who is overly vain or conceited, unlike the others which represent speed, hunger, and slyness.
### Which saying advises against excessive pride?
- [x] Pride goes before a fall
- [ ] All that glitters is not gold
- [ ] A stitch in time saves nine
- [ ] Birds of a feather flock together
> **Explanation:** "Pride goes before a fall" warns about the consequences of excessive pride.
### Fill in the blank: Conceited individuals are often considered as stuck ______________.
- [ ] down
- [ ] outside
- [x] up
- [ ] with
> **Explanation:** The phrase “stuck up” is a colloquial term for someone who thinks they’re superior.
### True or False: Chaucer never used peacocks as a simile for pride.
- [ ] True
- [x] False
> **Explanation:** Chaucer did indeed use the peacock as a simile for pride several times in his works.
### Which of these is NOT a synonym for "proud"?
- [ ] Arrogant
- [x] Modest
- [ ] Conceited
- [ ] Vainglorious
> **Explanation:** “Modest” means having a humble opinion of oneself and is an antonym of “proud.”
Farewell Thought:
“Remember, it’s admirable to walk with purpose, but be mindful of not strutting through life with blinding self-importance. The wings of humility lift many higher than the feathers of pride."
Eileen Evenword
