English Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions

Have no truck with

If you have no truck with something or someone, you refuse to get involved with it or them.

Have someone in your corner

If you have someone in your corner, you have their support or help.

Have something up your sleeve

If you have something up your sleeve, you have some hidden or secret plan, idea, etc, to use to your advantage when the time is right.

Have the floor

If someone has the floor, it is their turn to speak at a meeting.

Have the guts

Someone who has enough courage to do something has the guts to do it.

Have your cake and eat it too

If someone wants to have their cake and eat it too, they want everything their way, especially when their wishes are contradictory.

Have your collar felt

(UK) If someone has their collar felt, they are arrested.

Have your fill

If you have had your fill, you are fed up of somebody or something.

Have your lunch handed to you

If you have you lunch handed to you, you are outperformed and shown up by someone better.

Have your moments

Someone who has his or her moments exhibits a positive behavior pattern on an occasional basis but not generally.

Have your tail up

If someone has their tail up, they are optimistic and expect to be successful.

Have your work cut out

If you have your work cut out, you are very busy indeed.

Have-nots

People without wealth or power are the have-nots.

Having a gas

If you're having a gas, you are having a laugh and enjoying yourself in company.

Hay is for horses

This idiom is used as a way of telling children not to say the word 'hey' as in hey you or hey there.

He that travels far knows much

People who travel widely have a wide knowledge.

He who hesitates is lost

If one waits too long, the opportunity vanishes.

He who laughs last laughs longest

A person may feel satisfied or pleased when they d something bad or unfair  to you, but if you can get revenge, you will feel more satisfaction.('He who laughs last laughs best' is also used, and 'he' is sometimes omitted.)

Head for the hills

If people head for the hills, they run away from trouble.

Head is in the clouds

If a person has their head in the clouds, they have unrealistic, impractical ideas.

Head is mince

(Scot) When someone's thoughts are in a state of abject confusion, especially when facing a severe dilemma, their head is mince.

Head nor tail

If you can't make head nor tail of something, you cannot understand it at all or make any sense of it.

Head on a spike

If someone wants a head on a spike, they want to be able to destroy or really punish a person.

Head on the block

If someone's head is on the block, they are going to be held responsible and suffer the consequences for something that has gone wrong.

Head over heels in love

When someone falls passionately in love and is intoxicated by the feeling has fallen head over heels in love.

Head south

If something head south, it begins to fail or start going bad.'The project proceeded well for the first two months, but then it headed south.'

Heads will roll

If heads will roll, people will be punished or sacked for something that has gone wrong.

Headstrong

A headstrong person is obstinate and does not take other people's advice readily.

Healthy as a horse

If you're as healthy as a horse, you're very healthy.

Heap coals on someone's head

To do something nice or kind to someone who has been nasty to you. If someone felt bad because they forgot to get you a Christmas gift, for you to buy them a specially nice gift is heaping coals on their head. ('Heap coals of fire' is also used.)

Hear a pin drop

If there is complete silence in a room, you can hear a pin drop.

Hear on the grapevine

To receive information indirectly through a series of third parties, similar to a rumour.

Hear something on the grapevine

If you hear something on the grapevine, you are informed about something by someone, circulating information or gossip from one person to another informally. ('Hear it through the grapevine' is also used.)

Hear something on the jungle telegraph

(UK) If you hear something on the jungle telegraph, you pick up some information or informal gossip from someone who shares some common interest.  ('Bush telegraph' is also used.)

Heart in the right place

If someone's heart is in the right place, they are good and kind, though they might not always appear to be so.

Heart in your boots

If you're heart is in your boots, you are very unhappy.

Heart in your mouth

If your heart is in your mouth, then you feel nervous or scared.

Heart isn't in it

If your heart is not in something, then you don't really believe in it or support it.

Heart misses a beat

If your heart misses a beat, you are suddenly shocked or surprised. ('Heart skips a beat' is an alternative)

Heart of glass

When someone has a heart of glass, they are easily affected emotionally.

Heart of gold

Someone with a heart of gold is a genuinely kind and caring person.

Heart of steel

When someone has a heart of steel, they do not show emotion or are not affected emotionally.

Heart-to-heart

A heart-to-heart is a frank and honest conversation with someone, where you talk honestly and plainly about issues, no matter how painful.

Heath Robinson

(UK) If a machine or system is described as Heath Robinson, it is very complicated, but not practical or effective, named after a cartoonist who drew very complicated machines that performed simple tasks.

Heaven knows

If you ask someone a question and they say this, they have no idea.

Heaven knows

Used when someone does not feel recognized or appreciated. For example; heaven knows how hard I work to feed my family.

Heaven only knows

The answer to a question is not or cannot be known. For example, heaven only knows when the war will end.

Heavenly bodies

The heavenly bodies are the stars.

Heavy-handed

If someone is heavy-handed, they are insensitive and use excessive force or authority when dealing with a problem.

Hedge your bets

If you hedge your bets, you don't risk everything on one opportunity, but try more than one thing.

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