Idiom Category: Body and bodily functions, Page 3

Cool your heels

If you leave someone to cool their heels, you make them wait until they have calmed down.

Cross my heart and hope to die

People say this to show how sincere their promise is.

Cry your eyes out

If you cry your eyes out, you cry uncontrollably.

Curdle your blood

If something is very frightening or disturbing, it curdles your blood.

Cut off your nose to spite your face

If you cut off your nose to spite your face, you do something rash or silly that ends up making things worse for you, often because you are angry or upset.

Cut your teeth on

The place where you gain your early experience is where you cut your teeth.

Dead from the neck up

Someone who's dead from the neck up is very stupid indeed.

Deep pockets but short arms

Someone who has money but never puts his hand in his pocket to pay for anything has deep pockets but short arms.

Dip your toes in the water

If you dip your toes in the water, you try something tentatively because you are not sure whether it will work or not.

Discerning eye

If a person has a discerning eye, they are particularly good at judging the quality of something.

Don't bite the hand that feeds

When someone says this to you, they are trying to tell you not to act against those on whom you depend.

Don't stand there with curlers in your hair

This means 'don't keep me waiting'. It's said to someone who is taking too long to get moving.

Don't sweat the small stuff

(USA) This is used to tell people not to worry about trivial or unimportant issues.

Down in the mouth

If someone is down in the mouth, they look unhappy or depressed.

Drag your feet

If someone is dragging their feet, they are taking too long to do or finish something, usually because they don't want to do it.

Drop into your lap

If something drops into your lap, you receive it suddenly, without any warning. ('Fall into your lap' is also used.)

Dry as a bone

If your lawn is as dry as a bone, the soil is completely dry.

Ears are burning

If your ears are burning, you sense or know that people somewhere else are talking about you in an unpleasant way.

Easy on the eyes

Someone who's easy on the eyes is pleasing to look at, an attractive person.

Eat your heart out

If someone tells you to eat your heart out, they are saying they are better than you at something.

Elbow grease

If something requires elbow grease, it involves a lot of hard physical work.

Elbow room

If you haven't got enough elbow room, you haven't got enough space.

Eye- wash

This expression 'eye-wash' is generally used to cover up the anxiety of a person who is seeking a concrete reply or justification for an act or an event that had affected his personal image or caused him a loss. The affected person usually represents his case to the higher-ups and puts forth his demands for redressal. But the authority, in order to avoid embarassment to his organisation or to himself, is not in a position to expose the entire material or evidence which in turn tell upon the credibility of the organisation. In such circumstances, he will usually call for an investigation to satisfy the complainant, but will not be keen in disposing the case. The authority will drag on the issue, (at the same time pretending to be serious) until the seriousness of the issue dies down and no finality is reached. So, ' The investigation on the issue by the authority is an eye-wash'.

Eyeball to eyeball

If you are eyeball to eyeball with an enemy or rival, you confront or face them down them directly.

Eyes are bigger than one's stomach

If someone's eyes are bigger than their stomach, they are greedy and take on more than they can consume or manage.

Face only a mother could love

When someone has a face only a mother could love, they are ugly.

Face value

If you take something at face value, you accept the appearance rather than looking deeper into the matter.

Faint heart never won fair lady

This means that you will not get the partner of your dreams if you lack the confidence to let them know how you feel.

Fall on our feet

If you fall on your feet, you succeed in doing something where there was a risk of failure.

Fat head

A fat head is a dull, stupid person.

Feather-brained

Som eone who's feather-brained is silly, empty-headed and not serious.

Fed up to the back teeth

When you are extremely irritated and fed up with something or someone, you are fed up to the back teeth.

Feet of clay

If someone has feet of clay, they have flaws that make them seem more human and like normal people.

Feet on the ground

A practical and realistic person has their feet on the ground.

Fight tooth and nail

If someone will fight tooth and nail for something, they will not stop at anything to get what they want. ('Fight tooth and claw' is an alternative.)

Find your feet

When you are finding your feet, you are in the process of gaining confidence and experience in something.

Fingers and thumbs

If you are all fingers and thumbs, you are being clumsy and not very skilled with your hands.

Fleet of foot

If someone is fleet of foot, they are very quick.

Flesh and blood

Your flesh and blood are your blood relatives, especially your immediate family.

Follow your nose

When giving directions, telling someone to follow their nose means that they should go straight ahead.

Foot in mouth

This is used to describe someone who has just said something embarrassing, inappropriate, wrong or stupid.

Foot in the door

If you have or get your foot in the door, you start working in a company or organisation at a low level, hoping that you will be able to progress from there.

Four-eyes

A person who wears glasses

Friendly footing

When relationships are on a friendly footing, they are going well.

Frog in my throat

If you have a frog in your throat, you can't speak or you are losing your voice because you have a problem with your throat.

From the bottom of your heart

If someone does something from the bottom of their heart, then they do it with genuine emotion and feeling.

Full of piss and vinegar

Someone who's full of piss and vinegar is full of youthful energy.

Get it in the neck

(UK) If you get it in the neck, you are punished or criticised for something.

Get it off your chest

If you get something off your chest, you confess to something that has been troubling you.

Get on my last nerve

(USA) If something is getting on your last nerve, you are completely fed up, ready to lose your temper. (Southern USA)

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