Common Body Idioms and Their Meanings

Below is a list of common body idioms, their meanings, and examples of how to use them in sentences.

1. Cost an Arm and a Leg

  • Meaning: Very expensive.
  • Example: That designer handbag costs an arm and a leg.

2. Break a Leg

  • Meaning: Good luck.
  • Example: You’ve got an audition tomorrow? Break a leg!

3. Keep an Eye On

  • Meaning: Watch or look after something or someone.
  • Example: Could you keep an eye on my bag while I go to the restroom?

4. Get Cold Feet

  • Meaning: To become nervous or hesitant.
  • Example: He got cold feet and cancelled the wedding.

5. Lend a Hand

  • Meaning: To help someone.
  • Example: Can you lend me a hand with these boxes?

6. Face the Music

  • Meaning: Accept the unpleasant consequences of one’s actions.
  • Example: He failed the exam and had to face the music.

7. Pull Someone’s Leg

  • Meaning: To tease or joke with someone.
  • Example: Are you serious or are you pulling my leg?

8. Stick Your Neck Out

  • Meaning: To take a risk.
  • Example: I’m going to stick my neck out and suggest a new plan.

9. Over My Dead Body

  • Meaning: Absolutely not; used to show strong opposition.
  • Example: You want to drop out of school? Over my dead body!

10. See Eye to Eye

  • Meaning: To agree fully with someone.
  • Example: They finally saw eye to eye on the project.

11. Pay Through the Nose

  • Meaning: To pay a lot of money.
  • Example: We paid through the nose for those concert tickets.

12. Give a Hand

  • Meaning: To applaud.
  • Example: Let’s give a hand to our guest speaker.

13. Get Something Off Your Chest

  • Meaning: To express a feeling or problem that has been bothering you.
  • Example: I need to get something off my chest about what happened yesterday.

14. Have a Sweet Tooth

  • Meaning: To like eating sweet foods.
  • Example: She has a sweet tooth and loves chocolate.

15. Keep Your Fingers Crossed

  • Meaning: To hope for good luck.
  • Example: I’m keeping my fingers crossed for good weather tomorrow.

16. On the Tip of Your Tongue

  • Meaning: Almost able to remember something.
  • Example: Her name is on the tip of my tongue.

17. Head Over Heels

  • Meaning: Deeply in love.
  • Example: He’s head over heels for his new girlfriend.

18. Put Your Foot Down

  • Meaning: To be firm about something.
  • Example: She put her foot down and refused to let them stay out late.

19. Pull Your Weight

  • Meaning: To do your fair share of work.
  • Example: Everyone needs to pull their weight on this team.

20. Butterflies in Your Stomach

  • Meaning: Feeling nervous.
  • Example: I always get butterflies in my stomach before a performance.

21. A Sight for Sore Eyes

  • Meaning: A welcome or pleasant sight.
  • Example: After weeks at sea, land was a sight for sore eyes.

22. By Heart

  • Meaning: From memory.
  • Example: She knows all the lyrics by heart.

23. Pain in the Neck

  • Meaning: An annoying person or thing.
  • Example: That noisy neighbour is a real pain in the neck.

24. Elbow Room

  • Meaning: Enough space to move freely.
  • Example: The small car doesn’t give much elbow room.

25. Let Your Hair Down

  • Meaning: To relax and enjoy yourself.
  • Example: It’s the weekend—time to let your hair down.

26. Rule of Thumb

  • Meaning: A general guideline.
  • Example: As a rule of thumb, arrive 15 minutes early.

27. Keep Your Chin Up

  • Meaning: Stay positive in a difficult situation.
  • Example: Keep your chin up; things will get better.

28. Drag Your Feet

  • Meaning: To do something slowly because you don’t want to do it.
  • Example: He’s dragging his feet on finishing the report.

29. Heart of Gold

  • Meaning: Very kind and generous.
  • Example: She has a heart of gold and always helps others.

30. Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

  • Meaning: Back up your words with action.
  • Example: If you think you can do better, put your money where your mouth is.

31. A Head Start

  • Meaning: An advantage at the beginning.
  • Example: She got a head start on the assignment.

32. Keep Your Hair On

  • Meaning: Stay calm.
  • Example: Keep your hair on; there’s no need to get upset.

33. Bite Your Tongue

  • Meaning: To stop yourself from saying something.
  • Example: I wanted to tell him off, but I bit my tongue.

34. All Ears

  • Meaning: Fully listening.
  • Example: Tell me about your trip—I’m all ears.

35. Put Your Finger On It

  • Meaning: Identify something precisely.
  • Example: I can’t put my finger on it, but something’s wrong.

36. Long in the Tooth

  • Meaning: Old.
  • Example: That car is getting a bit long in the tooth.

37. Behind Someone’s Back

  • Meaning: Without someone’s knowledge; secretly.
  • Example: They planned the surprise party behind his back.

38. My Lips Are Sealed

  • Meaning: Promise to keep a secret.
  • Example: Don’t worry; my lips are sealed.

39. Get Your Head Around Something

  • Meaning: Understand something complicated.
  • Example: I can’t get my head around this new software.

40. Off the Top of Your Head

  • Meaning: From memory or without much thought.
  • Example: I can’t recall his number off the top of my head.

41. In Over Your Head

  • Meaning: Involved in something too difficult.
  • Example: He’s in over his head with this project.

42. Stick Out Like a Sore Thumb

  • Meaning: Be very noticeable in an unpleasant way.
  • Example: In that bright suit, he stuck out like a sore thumb.

43. Keep Your Nose Out

  • Meaning: Don’t interfere.
  • Example: Keep your nose out of my business.

44. Have Eyes in the Back of Your Head

  • Meaning: Be very aware of everything happening around you.
  • Example: Teachers seem to have eyes in the back of their heads.

45. Pull Your Leg

  • Meaning: To joke or tease someone.
  • Example: Don’t take him seriously; he’s just pulling your leg.

46. A Hair’s Breadth

  • Meaning: A very small distance or amount.
  • Example: They escaped disaster by a hair’s breadth.

47. Play It by Ear

  • Meaning: To improvise or decide as you go.
  • Example: We don’t have a plan; we’ll play it by ear.

48. Wet Behind the Ears

  • Meaning: Inexperienced.
  • Example: He’s still wet behind the ears in this industry.

49. Have a Chip on Your Shoulder

  • Meaning: Be resentful or hold a grudge.
  • Example: She has a chip on her shoulder about not going to university.

50. Keep a Stiff Upper Lip

  • Meaning: Remain stoic during adversity.
  • Example: Even after the loss, he kept a stiff upper lip.

How to Use Body Idioms

Tips for Using Idioms Effectively

  1. Understand the Context: Know when an idiom is appropriate.
  2. Practice Regularly: Use idioms in sentences to become familiar.
  3. Listen to Native Speakers: Watch British films or listen to podcasts.
  4. Start Slowly: Introduce idioms one at a time.
  5. Ask for Feedback: Don’t hesitate to ask if you’re using them correctly.
  6. Keep a Journal: Write down new idioms you learn.
  7. Use in Conversations: Try them out with friends or teachers.

Exercises: Practise Body Idioms

Test your understanding with these exercises.

Exercise 1: Match the Idiom to Its Meaning

Match each idiom with its correct meaning.

a) Get cold feet
b) Keep an eye on
c) Break a leg
d) Pull someone’s leg
e) See eye to eye
f) Cost an arm and a leg
g) On the tip of your tongue
h) Keep your chin up
i) Lend a hand
j) Heart of gold

  1. To agree fully
  2. To help someone
  3. Very expensive
  4. Can’t quite remember
  5. To become nervous
  6. Stay positive
  7. Watch or look after
  8. To joke with someone
  9. Good luck
  10. Very kind and generous

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences with the correct body idiom.

  1. He was nervous about the speech, but we told him to ________.
  2. I’m moving tomorrow; can you ________?
  3. That antique vase ________; I can’t afford it.
  4. She’s always willing to help; she has a ________.
  5. Don’t tell anyone else—________.

Exercise 3: Choose the Correct Idiom

Select the best idiom to complete each sentence.

  1. They didn’t ________ on the new policy.

    a) see eye to eye
    b) get cold feet
    c) keep a stiff upper lip

  2. The answer is ________; I just can’t recall it.

    a) pulling your leg
    b) on the tip of my tongue
    c) off the top of my head

  3. He decided to ________ and ask for a promotion.

    a) drag his feet
    b) stick his neck out
    c) bite his tongue

Exercise 4: Idiom Identification

Identify the idiom in each sentence and explain its meaning.

  1. “After losing the game, they tried to keep a stiff upper lip.”
  2. “She can’t keep her nose out of other people’s business.”
  3. “I wanted to complain, but I bit my tongue.”

Exercise 5: Create Your Own Sentences

Use the following idioms in your own sentences:

  1. Butterflies in your stomach
  2. Let your hair down
  3. All ears
  4. Pull your weight
  5. Get something off your chest

Answers

Exercise 1: Match the Idiom to Its Meaning

a) Get cold feet – 5. To become nervous
b) Keep an eye on – 7. Watch or look after
c) Break a leg – 9. Good luck
d) Pull someone’s leg – 8. To joke with someone
e) See eye to eye – 1. To agree fully
f) Cost an arm and a leg – 3. Very expensive
g) On the tip of your tongue – 4. Can’t quite remember
h) Keep your chin up – 6. Stay positive
i) Lend a hand – 2. To help someone
j) Heart of gold – 10. Very kind and generous

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks

  1. He was nervous about the speech, but we told him to break a leg.
  2. I’m moving tomorrow; can you lend a hand?
  3. That antique vase costs an arm and a leg; I can’t afford it.
  4. She’s always willing to help; she has a heart of gold.
  5. Don’t tell anyone else—my lips are sealed.

Exercise 3: Choose the Correct Idiom

  1. They didn’t see eye to eye on the new policy.
  2. The answer is on the tip of my tongue; I just can’t recall it.
  3. He decided to stick his neck out and ask for a promotion.

Exercise 4: Idiom Identification

  1. “After losing the game, they tried to keep a stiff upper lip.”
    • Idiom: Keep a stiff upper lip
    • Meaning: Remain stoic during adversity.
  2. “She can’t keep her nose out of other people’s business.”
    • Idiom: Keep your nose out
    • Meaning: Don’t interfere.
  3. “I wanted to complain, but I bit my tongue.”
    • Idiom: Bite your tongue
    • Meaning: Stop yourself from saying something.

Exercise 5: Create Your Own Sentences

Answers will vary. Here are some examples:

  1. I always get butterflies in my stomach before a big test.
  2. After the exams, we decided to let our hair down and celebrate.
  3. “Tell me what happened—I’m all ears.”
  4. Everyone needs to pull their weight to make this project a success.
  5. I need to get something off my chest about how I feel.

Feel free to ask any questions, share your thoughts, or write your own sentences using body idioms in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *