60+ Health and Medicine Idioms in English

Health and Medicine Idioms

Our bodies are complex machines, and keeping them healthy is a constant endeavor. But talking about health doesn’t have to be dry and technical. The world of medicine offers a treasure trove of idioms that weave humor, imagery, and cultural references into our conversations about well-being.

So, let’s take our metaphorical pulse and explore some common health and medical idioms that will leave you feeling well-informed and entertained.

List of Health and Medicine Idioms

Health and Medicine Idioms with Meaning and Examples

A bitter pill to swallow

• Meaning: Something unpleasant or difficult to accept.
• Example: Losing the championship was a bitter pill to swallow for the team.

To be in good shape

• Meaning: To be physically fit and healthy.
• Example: After months of training, she was in good shape for the marathon.

To be on the mend

• Meaning: To be recovering from an illness or injury.
• Example: With proper rest and medication, he’s finally on the mend after the accident.

To be under the weather

• Meaning: To feel unwell or sick.
• Example: I’m feeling a bit under the weather, so I’ll stay home today.

To catch someone’s eye

• Meaning: To attract someone’s attention, often used in the context of noticing symptoms or signs.
• Example: The unique design of the building caught everyone’s eye as they passed by.

To fall ill

• Meaning: To become sick or unwell.
• Example: She fell ill after eating the contaminated food.

To feel a bit off

• Meaning: To feel slightly unwell or not quite oneself.
• Example: I’m feeling a bit off today; I think I might be coming down with something.

To feel like death warmed up

• Meaning: To feel extremely unwell or sick.
• Example: After the long hike, John felt like death warmed up.

To feel on top of the world

• Meaning: To feel extremely healthy and happy.
• Example: Winning the competition made her feel on top of the world.

To get back on one’s feet

• Meaning: To recover after an illness or setback.
• Example: Despite the setback, she managed to get back on her feet and move forward.

To go under the knife

• Meaning: To undergo surgery.
• Example: He had to go under the knife for a knee surgery.

To keep something at bay

• Meaning: To prevent something undesirable from happening, often used in the context of preventing illness or disease.
• Example: Regular exercise helps to keep many health problems at bay.

To nurse someone back to health

• Meaning: To take care of someone who is sick in order to help them recover.
• Example: She nursed her grandmother back to health after her surgery.

To play doctor

• Meaning: To pretend to be a doctor or give medical advice without proper qualifications.
• Example: He’s just playing doctor with those home remedies; he should see a real physician.

To put someone out of their misery

• Meaning: To end someone’s suffering or discomfort, often by administering euthanasia or providing relief from pain.
• Example: The injured deer was suffering, so the hunter put it out of its misery.

To run a temperature

• Meaning: To have a fever.
• Example: She felt weak and dizzy and realized she was running a temperature.

To take one’s medicine

• Meaning: To accept the consequences of one’s actions or to follow a prescribed treatment regimen.
• Example: After complaining about the taste, the child finally took his medicine.

To throw up one’s hands

• Meaning: To give up or surrender, often used in the context of being unable to find a solution to a health problem.
• Example: After the repeated failures, she threw up her hands in frustration.

To wait for the other shoe to drop

• Meaning: To anticipate something bad happening, often used in the context of waiting for the outcome of a medical test or diagnosis.
• Example: After hearing about the layoffs, everyone was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

To wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve

• Meaning: To openly display one’s emotions or vulnerabilities, often used in the context of discussing mental health.
• Example: He wears his heart on his sleeve, so it’s easy to know when he’s upset.

Under the Weather

• Meaning: Feeling slightly unwell or sick.
• Example: Sarah didn’t come to the party because she felt under the weather.

Not Feeling Your Best

• Meaning: Feeling less healthy or energetic than usual.
• Example: After working all night, he was not feeling his best the next morning.

Run Down

• Meaning: Tired, exhausted, or lacking energy.
• Example: After weeks of stress and little sleep, I felt completely run down.

Off Your Rocker

• Meaning: Behaving in a strange or irrational manner.
• Example: If you think I’ll lend you money again, you’re off your rocker!

In Tip-Top Shape

• Meaning: In excellent physical condition; very healthy.
• Example: After months of training, he was in tip-top shape for the race.

Full of Beans

• Meaning: Full of energy and enthusiasm.
• Example: The kids are always full of beans after playing outside all day.

Feeling Peachy

• Meaning: Feeling very good or excellent.
• Example: Despite the rainy weather, she was feeling peachy and ready to tackle the day.

A Shot in the Arm

• Meaning: Something that revitalizes, energizes, or encourages.
• Example: Winning the award was a shot in the arm for his confidence.

Cost an Arm and a Leg

• Meaning: Very expensive or costly.
• Example: The new car cost an arm and a leg, but it was worth it.

On the Mend

• Meaning: Recovering from an illness or injury.
• Example: After resting for a few days, she was on the mend and feeling better.

Alive And Kicking

• Meaning: Still active and full of life.
• Example: Despite his age, he’s alive and kicking, enjoying life to the fullest.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away

• Meaning: Regular consumption of healthy food helps to maintain good health and prevents illness.
• Example: She believes in the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” and eats one every morning.

As fit as a fiddle

• Meaning: In excellent physical condition; very healthy.
• Example: Despite being in his 70s, he’s as fit as a fiddle and goes jogging every morning.

As pale as a ghost

• Meaning: Extremely pale in appearance, often due to illness or shock.
• Example: After hearing the shocking news, she turned as pale as a ghost.

As pale as death

• Meaning: Extremely pale, resembling the pallor of a deceased person.
• Example: She was as pale as death when they found out about the accident.

At death’s door

• Meaning: Very close to death; in a critical condition.
• Example: After the surgery, the doctor said he was at death’s door, but he pulled through.

Back on one’s feet

• Meaning: Recovering from illness or setback; back to normal.
• Example:  After a week of bed rest, she was back on her feet and ready to work.

Bitter pill to swallow

• Meaning: Something unpleasant or difficult to accept.
• Example: Losing the championship was a bitter pill to swallow for the team.

Black-and-blue

• Meaning: Bruised, typically due to physical injury.
• Example: After the fall, her knee was black-and-blue.

Break out in a cold sweat

• Meaning: Suddenly start sweating due to nervousness, fear, or illness.
• Example: Every time she thinks about the accident, she breaks out in a cold sweat.

Catch one’s death of cold

• Meaning: To become very ill due to exposure to cold weather.
• Example: If you go outside without a jacket, you’ll catch your death of cold.

Feel on top of the world

• Meaning: Feel extremely happy, confident, or successful.
• Example: After receiving the promotion, he felt on top of the world.

Get a charley horse

• Meaning: Experience a sudden painful muscle cramp, typically in the leg.
• Example: After the workout, he got a charley horse in his leg.

Go Under the Knife

• Meaning: Undergo surgery.
• Example: She decided to go under the knife for cosmetic surgery.

Go Viral

• Meaning: Spread rapidly and widely, especially in the context of a viral infection or online content.
• Example: The video of the puppy playing with the kitten went viral on social media.

Green around the gills

• Meaning: Pale or sickly in appearance, often due to nausea or illness.
• Example: He felt green around the gills after the turbulent plane ride.

Have foot-in-mouth disease

• Meaning: Tend to say embarrassing or tactless things.
• Example: Whenever he speaks at the meetings, he seems to have foot-in-mouth disease.

Have one foot in the grave

• Meaning: Be very close to death, typically due to old age or serious illness.
• Example: At his age, he feels like he has one foot in the grave.

Just what the doctor ordered

• Meaning: Exactly what is needed or beneficial, especially in terms of treatment or remedy.
• Example: After a long day, a warm bath was just what the doctor ordered.

Kink in one’s neck

• Meaning: A stiff or painful sensation in the neck, often due to muscle tension.
• Example: Sleeping in an awkward position gave her a kink in her neck.

Laughter is the best medicine

• Meaning: The act of laughing can have a positive effect on health and well-being.
• Example: Whenever she feels down, she watches a comedy show because laughter is the best medicine.

Poison pill (n)

• Meaning: A defensive strategy used by companies to prevent takeovers by making the acquisition less attractive.
• Example: The new regulations are seen as a poison pill for small businesses.

Run in the family

• Meaning: A trait or condition that is common within a family.
• Example: Heart disease seems to run in the family; both of his parents had it.

Sick and Tired of

• Meaning: Extremely fed up or annoyed with something.
• Example: I’m sick and tired of hearing excuses; just get the work done.

Sick as a Dog

• Meaning: Extremely sick or unwell.
• Example: After eating the expired food, she felt sick as a dog.

Snake Oil

• Meaning: A substance or remedy with no proven medical benefits, often sold as a cure-all.
• Example: The product claiming to cure all ailments turned out to be nothing but snake oil.

Take your medicine

• Meaning: Accept the consequences of your actions, even if they are unpleasant.
• Example: If you want to get better, you need to take your medicine as prescribed.

Taste of your own medicine

• Meaning: Experience the same negative treatment that one has inflicted on others.
• Example: After years of criticizing others, he finally got a taste of his own medicine.

Under the weather

• Meaning: Feeling slightly unwell or sick.
• Example: She couldn’t attend the party because she was feeling under the weather.

By understanding these health and medical idioms, you can inject some humor and figurativeness into your conversations about health. Remember, using idioms appropriately shows your understanding of the language and adds a touch of personality to your communication.

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