0840 Flat out like a lizard drinking

Home
CONFIDENCE & ASSERTIVENESS
Primarily Australian English
[0840] Flat out like a lizard drinking

Explanation

A colourful Australian slang idiom meaning extremely busy, working or moving at maximum speed and capacity.

Origin

Evokes the vivid image of a lizard lying flat on the ground (often implied to be in the sun or near water), lapping up water very rapidly with its tongue.
This imagery captures the sense of intense, focused, fast-paced activity. The flat out part suggests exertion and possibly exhaustion, while the lizard drinking adds the element of speed and intensity.
It's part of a rich tradition of humorous and descriptive Australian similes. Likely originated mid-20th century or earlier.

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

Flat out (Aus/NZ/UK very busy)
Flat chat (Aus/NZ very fast or busy)
Swamped
Snowed under
Up to my eyeballs/ears/neck (in work/it)
Rushed off my feet (UK/Aus/NZ)
Run ragged
Busy as a bee / Busy as a beaver (Folksy)
Slammed (esp. US)
Hectic (esp. Aus/NZ describes the situation)
Maxed out

Standard:

Extremely busy / Very busy
Overwhelmed with work / Inundated
Working at full capacity
Have a lot on my plate

Vulgar/Emphatic:

Busy as fuck
Fucking slammed
Up to my fucking eyeballs in shit

Situational Appropriateness

Informal Australian slang.
Best used in casual conversation, particularly in Australia or among Australians who appreciate colourful idioms.
Sounds very out of place, stereotypical, or confusing if used by non-Australians without context.
The shortened version, flat out, is much more widely used and understood (Aus/NZ/UK) and is acceptable in informal and semi-formal contexts.

Misunderstanding Warnings

Highly idiomatic and geographically specific. Non-Australians will likely find it completely baffling and the imagery bizarre.
Even the common shortening flat out can occasionally be misunderstood by those unfamiliar with it (e.g., thinking it means lying down or being completely honest). Context of being busy is key.

Examples

Sorry I missed your call, I've been flat out like a lizard drinking all morning.
The whole team is working flat out like lizards drinking to get this report finished by Friday.
Ever since the sale started, we've been flat out like lizards drinking in the shop.

Dialogue

Manager: How's progress on the Henderson account, team?

Employee: We're getting there, boss, but honestly, we're flat out like lizards drinking trying to meet their deadline.

Manager: Okay, keep me updated. Let me know if you need more resources.

Response Patterns

Sympathy / Understanding: Oh wow, sounds hectic! / Yikes, hope you get a break soon.
Relating: Tell me about it, I'm swamped too!
Offering help: Anything I can do to help?
Curiosity: Really? What's keeping you so busy?

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

Asking for details about the work or activity causing the busyness.
Expressing hope that the busy period will end soon.
Sharing one's own experiences of being busy.

Conversation Starter

No. Usually used to answer a question about how one is doing, how work is going, or to explain why one hasn't been in touch.

Intonation

Often delivered with a slightly exaggerated or humorous tone, emphasizing the extreme busyness.
Stress typically falls on flat out, lizard, and drinking.
Mate, we were FLAT OUT like a LIZARD DRINKING!

Generation Differences

The full phrase flat out like a lizard drinking is more strongly associated with older generations of Australians.
While understood by younger generations, they are more likely to use the simpler flat out or other synonyms like swamped or slammed. The full phrase might be used humorously or ironically by younger speakers.

Regional Variations

Primarily Australian English slang. Unlikely to be understood elsewhere without explanation.

No worries

🎲 G'day

[0840] Flat out like a lizard drinking