I'm up to my eyes in work.

[vil]

Dear teachers,

Could you tell me whether the idiom in question (please see the title) is used correct in the following situation?

"You shouldn't keep late hours at your age. It's bad for you."

"I know it is, but I can't help staying up late. I'm up to the eyes in work!."

Thank you in advance for your efforts.

Regards.

V.

 

[Janeece]

Hi V,
Yes you have used the idiom correctly. I've copied and pasted this explanation from the idioms linked to this website. A lot of idioms are all explained by clicking on the link. I use a lot of different idioms with my students by getting them to make up sentences to ensure that they are using them correctly (like in the way you've done).

Up to the eyes
You are up to your eyes in something, you are deeply involved or to have too much of something like work/homework. ('Up to the neck', 'up to the eyeballs' and 'up to the ears' are also used.)

In the UK we tend to use 'up to my eyes in work' or 'up to my neck in work'.
Hope that this helps and you don't have too much work to get through!
Janeece

 

[Janeece]

:up:

 

[riverkid]

Dear teachers,

Could you tell me whether the idiom in question (please see the title) is used correct in the following situation?

"You shouldn't keep late hours at your age. It's bad for you."

"I know it is, but I can't help staying up late. I'm up to the eyes in work!."

Thank you in advance for your efforts.

Regards.

V.

Here are some other idiomatic expressions that have the same meaning, Vil.

be up to one's neck/ears in ...

[really] have my hands full ...

be snowed under ...

be rushed/run off my feet

 

[riverkid]

Also,

I'm up to my eyeballs in work.

 

[vil]

Hi Janeece,

Thank you for your prompt reply.

I put the present question on the table for discussion because the idiom in question sounded me out of the ordinary. At this juncture, we use in my country predominantly the expressions as "I'm up to the elbows in work", "I'm swamped with work", or "I'm up to the top of my throat in work".

Thank you for your elaborate explanation as well as for the further information
that was very useful for me.

Thank you for your backing.

Regards.

V.

 

[vil]

Hi Riverkid,

Thank you for your wide range of expressions, which yoy shared so generously with me. I liked especially "have my hands full", "be snowed under" as well as "be rushed/run off my feet".

Thank you for your backing.

Regards.

V.