hen's teeth
Virtually nonexistent things
Hen's teeth is a figure for something that doesn't exist or is impossibly rare—hens being birds, and birds having no teeth.
The phrase appears almost exclusively in comparisons: Affordable housing in this city is as rare as hen's teeth.
Finding a good mechanic is like finding hen's teeth.
In short supply
- rareSeldom found or seen
- uncommonSeldom occurring or found
- elusiveHard to find
- unobtainableImpossible to acquire
impossible · mythical · legendary · fabled · nonexistent · unheard-of · once-in-a-lifetime · needle-in-a-haystack
Highly esteemed, greatly valued
- pricelessToo valuable to quantify
- invaluableBeyond monetary worth
- treasureValued wealth or keepsake
- prizedGreatly valued or esteemed
coveted · sought-after · collectible · gem · one-of-a-kind · irreplaceable · cherished · heirloom
scarce
In short supply
unobtainable · impossible · mythical · legendary · fabled · nonexistent · unheard-of · once-in-a-lifetime · needle-in-a-haystack · unicorn
precious
Highly esteemed, greatly valued
- pricelessToo valuable to quantify
- invaluableBeyond monetary worth
- treasureValued wealth or keepsake
prized · coveted · sought-after · collectible · gem · one-of-a-kind · irreplaceable · cherished · heirloom · antique
hen's teethcommonplace
Unremarkable and frequent
a dime a dozen · ubiquitous · abundant · plentiful · everywhere