Idiom: I feel like I am juggling frogs here

[Englander]

English Language Proficiency Tests, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #526 "English Slang Idioms (110)", question 8

"Tim expects me to simultaneously talk to the customer on the phone, resolve his or her's case, and get my daily assignments done. I feel like I am ......... here," Linus told Chris.

(a) treading waters
(b) juggling frogs
(c) jogging to work
(d) betraying Mother Nature

English Language Proficiency Tests, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #526 "English Slang Idioms (110)", answer 8

"Tim expects me to simultaneously talk to the customer on the phone, resolve his or her's case, and get my daily assignments done. I feel like I am juggling frogs here," Linus told Chris.

Correct answer: (b) juggling frogs

Your answer was: correct
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I'm a native English speaker who took this test for fun and in my 50+ years I've never heard this phrase.

Englander

[Alan]

Hi,

Thanks for your post and glad you took the test for fun. Perhaps it's an idiom used by our friends across the sea. I must have missed that one.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Lost_Soul]

[Yankee]

.
I've never heard the expression either.
Perhaps it's regional? Perhaps it's Canadian?

But I imagine the juggling of frogs just might be a tad tricky. :lol:
.
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"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Eiva]

Then what is the purpose of using that idiom in such a situation? In other words what's the main meaning of that idiom to be used in such a situation?

Eiva

[Yankee]

Hi Eiva

I've tried to find additional usage information about 'juggling frogs'. Based on the research I've done and the input from native speakers here, the use of this expression as an idiom appears to be extremely limited (i.e. not widely used). Google does provide a couple of usage examples in the UK, though.

Can you imagine a juggler trying to juggle frogs? It would be extremely difficult to do, right? So the intended meaning of 'juggling frogs' in the sentence would be this:
"attempting to do something that is practically impossible to do"
.
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"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln

[Yankee]

[Eiva]

Thank you so much Amy. That's a good explanation

Nola

[Ralf]

[Yankee]

.
I enjoyed the imagery in the expression, too. Trying to juggle is hard enough. But trying to do it with FROGS, of all things?! Now, that would be a very tall order indeed! :shock: :lol:
.
_________________
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ~ Abraham Lincoln