Cats are notoriously headstrong, and when you attempt to get them to move in a certain direction by getting behind them and making noise, they may respond by running off to the side, crouching down and not moving at all, climbing a tree,. A (heavy) cross to bear idiom. But some phrases become figurative idioms while retaining the literal meaning of the phrase.
Usually Said Of A Group Of People.
Definitions by the largest idiom dictionary. Stop trying to herd cats and start building trust and mutual respect. Take on a difficult work that is beyond your capabilities.
To Be Very Unwieldy Or Unmanageable;
Although the meaning of idioms is generally not transparent, thinking about the literal meaning of this particular saying quickly establishes a sort of mental image which showcases the near impossibility of the task. A herd of cattle;a herd of sheep;a herd of zebras. Herd definition, a number of animals kept, feeding, or traveling together;
A Herd Of Autograph Seekers.
Used to describe something that is extremely difficult to do: Let the cat out of the bag. Andrew told his boss that he will triple the sales but in reality, he bit off more than he can chew and now all of us are in trouble.
A Large Group Of Things.
So when someone says ‘it’s like herding cats’, that’s the literal meaning. Because kitties loves to hide in small spaces, you'll find. It's like herding cats sometimes, she said of the logistical challenges.