Body Part Idioms.

[RobbieCook]

What are some idioms you know which relate to the human body? Some off the top of my head (there's one ) are:

"I've got my eye on you." This means that the person will be watching your behaviour closely, or may be used affectionately to say some thing similar in effect to "I'll look after you."

"You haven't got the guts!" This means that the person who this comment is directed towards isn't brave enough to do some thing.

"You've got to hand it to them." This means that the person/people who the comment is directed towards are worthy of admiration for a particular thing.

[Mad-ox]

hi,

"cost an arm and a leg" means cost a lot.

eg. That car cost an arm and a leg.

madox

[Mad-ox]

hi again,

'' to cudgel your brain'' meaning to think hard about a problem

eg. I am cudgelling my brain to find out the meaning of that idiom.

madox

[Ouisch]

Brown-nose: someone who curries favor; a toady

Fred brought free coffee and donuts for the boss again today, that's the third time this week - he's such a brown-nose!

[mykwyner]

In American slang, the adjective "hairy" can be used to describe something complex and/or dangerous.

"You'd better slow down. There's a hairy curve at the bottom of the hill."

[RobbieCook]

"You're very cheeky." If some one is cheeky, then they're rude, but in a playful manner.

"I need a shoulder to cry on." If someone needs a shoulder to cry on, they need some one who can provide them with emotional support.

"She gave me the elbow." If some one gives you "the elbow" then they're removing you from what ever it is you two were involved in. For example, if a lady decides to end a relationship with her boyfriend/husband, she has given him the elbow.

"You're very nosey." If some one is nosey, then they try to find out about private things of others which shouldn't concern them.

[BobK]

Originally Posted by RobbieCook

What are some idioms you know which relate to the human body? Some off the top of my head (there's one ) are:

...

There must be hundreds. I'll think it over and post again tomorrow. Stay tuned.

b

[Humble]

Hi,
To turn a blind eye on sth = pretend not to see sth

[BobK]

These are all above the neck. I'll think of some more for the rest of the body, but this is a down-payment!

come to a head - become clearer/more intense:
"At the meeting of the whole team, everything came to a head"

stick your head over the parapet - do something deliberately provocative:
"Nothing's going to happen unless you stick your head over the parapet"

have the ear of someone - have preferential access to someone as an advisor:
"The Cabinet Secretary has the ear of the Prime Minister"

turn a deaf ear to - not to listen to:
"After the divorce, she turned a deaf ear to his demands to see the children"

turn a blind eye to - not to respond to something that's obvious:
"It's strictly illegal, but the Police turn a blind eye to it"

turn the other cheek - invite further attacks (even when not to the face, and
not necessarily physical):
"I know they've said some nasty things, but I think you should turn the
other cheek"

stick in your craw (the craw is part of the throat) - be unpalatable (not necesssarily food):
"Saying I'm sorry, after all he's done, would stick in my craw"

have a bad/dirty mouth [on] (very informal) - use foul language:
"He's got a dirty mouth" (the 'on him'/'on her) makes it even less formal, (and it changes the meaning - to be very talkative/assertive/'mouthy' - when there's no adjective:
"Have you heard him talk? He's certainly got a mouth on him" [Best avoided, but you might hear it]

take it on the chin - accept an attack as inevitable:
"You'll get caught either way, so you should take it on the chin"

armed to the teeth - heavily armed:
"The pirates were armed to the teeth"

fed to the back teeth - having had too much of something (not necessarily
food):
"He's always late - I'm fed to the back teeth with his excuses."

b

[Humble]

Sorry, my preposition was wrong:
Turn a blind eye to sth is correct.