(as) rare as hens' teeth
(as) rare as hens' teeth
Incredibly scarce or rare; extremely difficult or impossible to find. Support for the president is as rare as hens' teeth in this part of the country. Please, who would I even ask to the prom? A high school boy who isn't a doofus is as rare as hens' teeth. Passionate love like you find in a poem has always seemed rare as hens' teeth in my experience.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
rare as hen's teeth
orscarce as hen's teeth
OLD-FASHIONEDIf something is as rare as hen's teeth or as scarce as hen's teeth, it is extremely rare. Record companies are becoming as rare as hen's teeth. Note: Hens do not have teeth.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
rare (or scarce) as hen's teeth
extremely rare.As hens do not possess teeth, the implication is that something is rare to the point of non-existence. The phrase was originally a US colloquialism, dating from the mid 19th century.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
(as) rare/scarce as hen’s ˈteeth
(old-fashioned) extremely rare: Critics always complain that good movies that the whole family can see together are as scarce as hen’s teeth.This refers to the fact that hens do not have teeth.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017