Body Idioms with Meaning and Examples
Body idioms are commonly used expressions in English that use parts of the body to convey a particular meaning or idea.
Here is a basic summary of some common body idioms:
Be a Bundle of Nerves
Meaning: someone who is extremely anxious or tense
Example: Sorry for shouting – I’m a bundle of nerves these days.
(my) lips are sealed
Meaning: used to convey that one will not discuss or reveal something.
Example: The truth about your murky past is safe with me – my lips are sealed.
Bare-Bones
Meaning: reduced to or comprising only the basic or essential elements of something.
Example: The bare-bones staff assigned to monitoring these contracts allows for a mere annual visit to each company.
Get on One’s Nerves
Meaning: irritate someone.
Example: There’s an insect buzzing around in my bedroom tonight, and it’s really getting on my nerves.
Forty Winks
Meaning: a short sleep, especially during the day.
Example: I’ll feel much better when I’ve had forty winks.
Over my dead body
Meaning: used to emphasize that one completely opposes something.
Example: I went to the school board meeting and told them they do over my dead body!
On the Rag
Meaning: a slang term for menstruation
Example: There were spots of blood on the rag.
To Piss Into the Wind
Meaning: To waste time on a pointless or fruitless task; do something that is ineffective or counterproductive
Example: Trying to convince him to change his mind is like pissing into the wind.
All ears
Meaning: be listening eagerly.
Example: When you’re ready to share your news, I’m all ears.
Pull one’s leg
Meaning: to make someone believe something that is not true as a joke
Example: I’m just pulling your leg – of course, I know you’re not really a superhero!
On the Blink
Meaning: (of a machine) not working properly; out of order.
Example: My laptop has been on the blink for days, and I need it for work.
Play something by ear
Meaning: perform music without having to read from a score.
Example: I’m not sure what we’ll do tomorrow, we’ll just have to play it by ear.
Keep an eye on
Meaning: keep under careful observation
Example: Keep an eye on the noticeboards for forthcoming events.
On Your Toes
Meaning: ready for any eventuality; alert.
Example: Wide awake and on your toes, taking it all in, ready for anything.
Don’t Hold Your Breath
Meaning: used to tell someone not to expect something to happen for a very long time
Example: If you’re waiting for him to apologize, don’t hold your breath – he never admits when he’s wrong.
Get in Shape
Meaning: losing a few pounds, gaining some muscle, improving cardiovascular fitness, or whittling down a marathon time.
Example: Yoga can reduce stress levels. But anyone who thinks they are going to get in shape sitting in the lotus position or any other pose is deluded.
Head over heels
Meaning: turning over completely in forward motion, as in a somersault.
Example: I gripped the banister and swung myself head over heels, then came out on the roof of a tower.
Get Blood from a Stone
Meaning: Something that cannot be obtained, regardless of how much force or persuasion is used
Example: Trying to get a straight answer out of him is like trying to get blood from a stone.
Sweet tooth
Meaning: a great liking for sweet-tasting foods.
Example: Satisfy your sweet tooth with natural sugar – fructose – from fruit and berries.
Cost an arm and a leg
Meaning: be extremely expensive.
Example: I’d love to buy a Rolls-Royce, but they cost an arm and a leg.
Cold feet
Meaning: loss of nerve or confidence.
Example: The Government is getting cold feet about the reforms.
Bust Someone’s Balls
Meaning: to seriously irritate or nag someone.
Example: Stop busting my balls about the project deadline, I’m doing the best I can.
Zip It
Meaning: a rude and angry way of telling someone to stop talking
Example: Bartlett Second Lieutenant Alvin H. Davenport, zip it! You need a nickname, too?
Toe the Line (Mark)
Meaning: accept the authority, policies, or principles of a particular group, especially unwillingly.
Example: Journalists who refuse to toe the line will have to be sacked.
Pop Someone’s Cherry
Meaning: To break the hymen; to lose one’s virginity. Often used as a metaphor.
Example: He was nervous about popping her cherry, but she assured him that it was okay to take things slow.
Knee-Jerk Reaction
Meaning: An immediate strong reaction to something; a reaction without consideration or thought
Example: The knee-jerk reaction to this is to call for proper security in all hospitals.
Jump Down Someone’s Throat
Meaning: Strongly attack someone verbally
Example: I didn’t mean to offend her, but she jumped down my throat as soon as I mentioned the topic.
Get One’s Ass In Gear
Meaning: Get moving, begin working on something
Example: We need to get our asses in gear if we want to finish this project on time.
See eye to eye
Meaning: To concur, agree
Example: My sisters don’t see eye to eye with me about the arrangements.
Up The Wazoo
Meaning: Abundantly, to an excessive degree
Example: A portable vacuum cleaner is most helpful for sand up the wazoo.
To Work One’s Arse Off
Meaning: Word very hard
Example: I worked my arse off to get that promotion, but it was worth it in the end.
On the Nod
Meaning: Without a formal vote
Example: The board of directors approved the proposal on the nod.
Face the music
Meaning: be confronted with the unpleasant consequences of one’s actions.
Example: You’ve been caught cheating now you must face the music.
Have a Stick Up One’s Ass
Meaning: to be very serious and easily offended, and always want rules to be obeyed
Example: I don’t know what’s wrong with him today, he seems to have a stick up his ass and won’t let us have any fun.
Gut feeling
Meaning: a feeling or reaction based on an instinctive emotional response rather than considered thought.
Example: It was plain old-fashioned instinct, the gut feeling that something was wrong.
Read: 20 English idioms that everyone should know
(my) flesh and blood
Meaning: emphasize that someone has human feelings or weaknesses, often when contrasting them with machines
Example: The kid, after all, was his own flesh and blood. He deserved a second chance.
Bite One’s Tongue
Meaning: make a desperate effort to avoid saying something.
Example: During the meeting, I had to bite my tongue to keep from arguing with my boss about his flawed proposal.
Elbow Grease
Meaning: hard physical work, especially vigorous polishing or cleaning.
Example: It took a considerable amount of polish and elbow grease before the brass shone like new.
Skeleton in One’s Closet
Meaning: something bad or embarrassing that happened in someone’s past and that is kept secret.
Example: Despite his successful career and public image, the politician had a skeleton in his closet that threatened to derail his campaign.
Makes my blood boil
Meaning: to make someone extremely angry
Example: The way he treats his employees makes my blood boil.
Rub Elbows (with)
Meaning: associate or come into contact with another person.
Example: Apparently she prefers not to rub elbows with his friends.
Skeleton in the Cupboard
Meaning: a discreditable or embarrassing fact that someone wishes to keep secret.
Example: They say every family a skeleton in the cupboard.
Eat, Sleep, and Breathe (Something)
Meaning: To have a strong passion for something; to think about it constantly
Example: As a dedicated athlete, she eats, sleeps, and breathes her sport, spending hours training every day.
Rule of thumb
Meaning: A general principle or guideline, not a specific formula
Example: A good rule of thumb is that a broker must generate sales of ten times his salary if his employer is to make a profit.
Go Behind Someone’s Back
Meaning: To conceal one’s actions from someone
Example: I thought we were working together as a team, but he went behind my back and shared our confidential project with the manager without my knowledge.
Vertically Challenged
Meaning: A short person.
Example: It would put the vertically challenged at a distinct disadvantage again.
Blood Is Thicker Than Water
Meaning: family relationships and loyalties are the strongest and most important ones.
Example: Even though my sister and I have our disagreements, I know I can always count on her in times of trouble because blood is thicker than water.
Joined at the hip
Meaning: To be exceptionally close to someone
Example: They were born joined at the hip and are learning to walk with artificial legs after being separated.
No-Brainer
Meaning: A decision that’s easy to make; a problem that’s easy to solve
Example: Joining the savings plan is a no-brainer. Just do it.
Gut Reaction
Meaning: An immediate feeling based on instinct
Example: Personal reflections My gut reaction has always been against the placing of bolts, and I’ve never used them.
To Have Butterflies in One’s Stomach
Meaning: Nervousness, anxiety, especially in advance of an important event
Example: Before giving the speech, she had butterflies in her stomach and was afraid she would forget her lines.
Put Muscle Behind
Meaning: Exert one’s power in support of something; support something vigorously
Example: If we want to get this project done on time, we need to put some muscle behind it and work overtime.
Lose One’s Nerve
Meaning: To become frightened and abandon one’s goals
Example: She had been practicing for months, but when she stepped on the stage, she lost her nerve and forgot all her lines.
Work One’s Tail (Butt) Off
Meaning: Work very hard
Example: I worked my tail off to finish the project before the deadline, staying up late and coming in on weekends to make sure it was done right.
In over one’s head
Meaning: More complex or confusing than one can understand; beyond one’s comprehension.
Example: After only a week on the job, the new employee realized that she was in over her head and didn’t have the necessary skills to complete the project.
Neck of the woods
Meaning: a particular area.
Example: He wandered about this neck of the woods and he was quite harmless, he was fond of children.
A Hair’s Breadth
Meaning: a very small amount or margin.
Example: The marathon runner missed first place by a hair’s breadth, crossing the finish line just a split second after the winner.
Brain Drain
Meaning: the emigration of highly trained or qualified people from a particular country.
Example: Britain suffered a considerable brain drain to Unitied States after World War.
Pick Someone’s Brain(s)
Meaning: to ask someone who knows a lot about a subject for information or their opinion
Example: I need some advice on starting a small business, so I’m going to pick my friend’s brain since she has experience as an entrepreneur.
Bust a Gut (Laughing)
Meaning: to laugh in an uncontrolled way
Example: You can bust a gut sixteen hours a day, seven days a week, but if your product is lousy, you’ve wasted your time.
Wash one’s hands of something
Meaning: intentionally stop being involved in it or connected with it in any way
Example: After months of trying to work out a compromise, the negotiator finally washed his hands of the situation and walked away from the table.
Stick your neck
Meaning: you take a risk by saying or doing something that other people might not like
Example: You don’t have to stick your neck out in meetings.
Zonk Out
Meaning: To fall asleep quickly and deeply
Example: I’ve got to go home and zonk out.
Smell Blood (in the Water)
Meaning: Sense weakness or vulnerability; be ready to attack
Example: On some occasions men smell blood more easily than on others.
Give a hand, lend a hand
Meaning: To help or assist, especially voluntarily
Example: I’m really grateful to my neighbor who gave me a hand when my car broke down on the side of the road.
Birthday Suit
Meaning: Nakedness
Example: Some old people hate a picture of birthday suit.
Tongue-in-Cheek
Meaning: Said ironically; not meant to be taken seriously
Example: Her latest play is a firmly tongue-in-cheek look at the world of advertising.
Put One’s Back Into Something
Meaning: Put forth a strong effort, typically physical
Example: We’ll never finish this project on time unless we all put our backs into it and work together.
Let one’s hair down
Meaning: behave in an uninhibited way.
Example: After a long week at work, she decided to let her hair down and have some fun with her friends.
(an) old hand
Meaning: a person with a lot of experience in something.
Example: Blue is an old hand at such compositions and has never had any trouble with them.
Thick in the head
Meaning: dull-witted; stupid
Example: I can’t believe he didn’t understand the instructions, he’s really thick in the head.
Built Like a Brick Shit-House
Meaning: Strong, well-built, heavy (said of a person)
Example: Despite his age, the professional wrestler was still built like a brick shit-house and could easily lift his opponents.
Cry your heart out
Meaning: to cry a great deal
Example: After her break-up, she went to her room and cried her heart out.
Have One’s Back Against the Wall
Meaning: to have very serious problems that limit the ways in which you can act
Example: The company had its back against the wall as it faced a major financial crisis.
Fit as a Fiddle
Meaning: in very good health.
Example: She’s over eighty now, but still as fit as a fiddle.
Have one’s head in the clouds
Meaning: Used to indicate that a person is distracted or disconnected from the present situation
Example: Jane is always dreaming of becoming a famous actress, but she has no acting experience and has never even been in a school play. She has her head in the clouds.
Head start
Meaning: an advantage granted or gained at the beginning of something.
Example: Being already able to read gave her a head start over the other pupils.
Tear One’s Hair out
Meaning: worrying a lot about it
Example: She’s been tearing her hair out over the final chapter of her novel for the last month.
Breathe Easier (Easy)
Meaning: to be able to relax, especially after a difficult or dangerous event
Example: Just as I started to breathe easier, a high – pitched scream tore through the dead air.
Read: 60+ Useful Sayings & Idioms about Jobs
Slap on the Wrist
Meaning: a mild reprimand or punishment.
Example: They just gave him a slap on the wrist then and that enabled him to go out and kill my husband.
Have Skin in the Game
Meaning: have a personal investment in an organization or undertaking, and therefore a vested interest in its success.
Example: If people have skin in the game, preventable costs fall.
Learn by heart, know by heart
Meaning: you have learned it so well that you can remember it without having to read it
Example: My father can still recite the poems he learned by heart at school.
Shanks’ Pony; Shanks’ Mare
Meaning: The feet as a means of travel
Example: I’ve missed the last bus, I guess I’ll have to use Shanks’ pony
Week at the knees
Meaning: To feel emotion so strongly that it makes you feel unstable on your feet.
Example: The announcement made me weak at the knees.
Bust Someone’s Chops
Meaning: Verbally torment someone
Example: I’ve been busting my chops to get this out by end of day.
(by the) skin of one’s teeth
Meaning: you only just succeed in doing it
Example: They were in wall street in the past shifty , but even if has again much money and lawyer nowadays, also cannot let him escape by the skin of one’s teeth.
Keep one’s chin up
Meaning: remain cheerful in difficult circumstances.
Example: He’s still keeping his chin up despite all his health problems.
Pat on the back
Meaning: an expression of approval or congratulation.
Example: You’ve done a great job, and you deserve a pat on the back.
Bend over Backwards
Meaning: to try extremely hard to help or to please someone
Example: People are bending over backwards to please customers.
Break a leg
Meaning: good luck!
Example: Just wanted to drop you a note to say break a leg and all those other theatrical cliches.
Get something off one’s chest
Meaning: to tell someone about something that has been worrying you or making you feel guilty for a long time
Example: I had spent two months worrying about it and I was glad to get it off my chest.
