Idioms based on Body parts

Idioms based on Body parts

Body idioms

Idiom Meaning

Example sentence

see idioms based on animals,fruit

• All ears

Fully listening

Give me a minute to finish my work and then i'll be all ears to hear about your project.

• Break a leg

Good-luck

Today's the big game, eh? Break a leg!

• Cold feet

Nervous just before a big event

My sister didn't get cold feet until she put her wedding gown on.

• Cost an arm and a leg

Be very expensive

These cakes are delicious, but they cost an arm and a leg.

• Cry your heart out

Cry very hard

I cried my heart out when my best friend moved away.

• Give a hand, lend a hand

Help (someone) do something

I can give you a hand when you move if you like.

• Have one's head in the clouds

Be unaware or unrealistic about something

Amy has her head in the clouds if she thinks she's going to pass her exams without studying.

• Head over heels

Deeply in love

My brother is head over heels for his new girlfriend.

• Head start

An earlier start

The kids gave Anthony a head start in the bicycle race because he was the youngest.

see idioms based on animals,fruit

• In over one's head

Taking on a task that you can't handle

I was in over my head when i agreed to babysit the triplets and the dogs.

• Keep an eye on

Take care of, watch in order to protect

I'll keep an eye on the dinner while you're on the phone.

• Keep one's chin up

Try to be cheerful

Keep your chin up. I’m sure you'll make some friends soon.

• Learn by heart, know by heart

Memorize

I learned my multiplication tables by heart in the fourth grade.

• Let one's hair down

Relax, have fun

Go to the cottage and let your hair down this weekend.

• (my) Lips are sealed

Promise to keep a secret

Don't worry, i won't tell your mother how much you spent. My lips are sealed.

• Makes my blood boil

Makes me very angry

It makes my blood boil when people don't tie up their dogs.

• Neck of the woods

Nearby location or region

I heard that they might be opening a post office in our neck of the woods soon.

• Over my dead body

Not unless I’m dead and can't stop you

My daughter wants a tatoo. I told her she'd get one over my dead body.

• Pat on the back

Recognition or a thank-you

The party organizers deserve a pat on the back for a job well done.

• Play something by ear

Do something without a plan

We don't know if the weather will be good enough for camping. We'll have to play it by ear.

• Pull one's leg

Joke or tease someone

I was just pulling your leg. I’m not really a police officer.

• Rule of thumb

Basic rule (not always followed)

The rule of thumb is that the students wear black pants and white shirts.

• See eye to eye

Agree

The couple doesn’t see eye to eye on how to train their pets.

(your) heart goes out to (someone)

If your heart goes out to someone, you feel great sympathy for them.

(your) heart is in the right place

If your heart is in the right place, you try to do the right thing, even if things don't always work out for the best.

see idioms based on animals,fruit

• (your) heart isn't in it

If your heart isn't in something you're doing, you don't really want to do it.

A bad hair day

If you're having a bad hair day, everything seems to be going wrong for you.

• A kick in the teeth

If you get a kick in the teeth, something bad happens to you or you feel that you've been treated poorly.

• A knuckle sandwich

If you give someone a knuckle sandwich, you punch them.

see idioms based on animals,fruit

• A pain in the neck

You can say someone is a pain in the neck if they annoy you, or something is a pain in the neck if you don't like doing it.

• A pat on the back

You've given someone a pat on the back if you've told them they've done something well, or done a good job.

• A shot in the arm

You can say something is a shot in the arm if it gives a person or an organisation renewed energy or enthusiasm.

• A sight for sore eyes

If something or someone is a sight for sore eyes, you are glad to see them.

• A skeleton in the cupboard | closet

If you have a skeleton in the cupboard, or in the closet, you have a secret in your past which could damage you if it became

known.

• A slap on the wrist

If someone gives you a slap on the wrist, they give you a mild punishment for making a mistake or doing something wrong.

• A slip of the tongue

If you make a slip of the tongue, you make a small mistake when speaking.