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toad

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a (real) toad-choker

A particularly heavy or torrential downpour of rain. (Chiefly heard in the southern United States.) It's a real toad-choker out there today—looks like we'll have to have our barbecue another day. There's no way I'm biking to work in a toad-choker like this!

a (real) toad-strangler

A particularly heavy or torrential downpour of rain. (Chiefly heard in the southern United States.) It's a real toad-strangler out there today—looks like we'll have to have our barbecue another day. There's no way I'm biking to work in a toad-strangler like this!

biggest frog in the puddle

 and biggest toad in the puddle

Prov. The most important or powerful person in some small, unimportant group. Jill: Elaine seems to be obsessed with becoming class president. Jane: Yes, she really wants to be the biggest frog in the puddle. The people in my office don't care about doing their work; mostly they compete over who will be the biggest toad in the puddle.

See also: big, frog, puddle

*ugly as a toad

[of a living creature] very ugly. (*Also:as ~.) Maria may be a beautiful woman, but when she was a child she was as ugly as a toad. The shopkeeper was ugly as a toad, but he was kind and generous, and everyone loved him.

See also: toad, ugly