Body idioms are among the first idioms native speakers learn as children, which is why they appear constantly in conversation, films and TV. They are easier to remember than most idioms because the image often hints at the meaning: if you bite your tongue, you stop yourself from speaking.
Head and face
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| head over heels (in love) | completely in love | They were head over heels within a month of meeting. |
| lose your head | panic or lose control of your emotions | Stay calm in the exam — don't lose your head over one hard question. |
| keep your chin up | stay positive in a difficult time | Keep your chin up — you'll find another job soon. |
| face the music | accept the consequences of your actions | He missed the deadline twice; now he has to face the music. |
| keep your nose to the grindstone | work hard for a long time | If you keep your nose to the grindstone this term, you'll catch up. |
Eyes and ears
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| see eye to eye | agree with someone | My sister and I don't always see eye to eye on politics. |
| keep an eye on | watch or look after | Could you keep an eye on my bag for a minute? |
| turn a blind eye | deliberately ignore something wrong | The manager turned a blind eye to staff arriving late. |
| be all ears | listen eagerly | Tell me what happened — I'm all ears. |
| play it by ear | decide as things happen, without a fixed plan | We don't know the weather, so let's play it by ear. |
Mouth, tongue and teeth
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| on the tip of my tongue | almost remembered, but not quite | Her name is on the tip of my tongue… |
| bite your tongue | stop yourself from saying something | I wanted to argue, but I bit my tongue. |
| put your foot in your mouth | say something embarrassing or tactless | I put my foot in my mouth by asking when her baby was due — she wasn't pregnant. |
| have a big mouth | talk too much, especially about secrets | Don't tell Aman — he has a big mouth. |
| by the skin of your teeth | only just; very narrowly | I passed the driving test by the skin of my teeth. |
Hands, arms, fingers and shoulders
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| give someone a hand | help someone | Can you give me a hand with these boxes? |
| twist someone's arm | persuade someone to do something | I didn't want dessert, but they twisted my arm. |
| cross your fingers / keep your fingers crossed | hope for good luck | Keep your fingers crossed for my interview tomorrow. |
| rule of thumb | a practical general rule, not an exact one | As a rule of thumb, spend 40 minutes on IELTS Task 2. |
| have a green thumb (US) / green fingers (UK) | be good at growing plants | My mother has green fingers — her balcony is full of flowers. |
| a shoulder to cry on | someone who listens and comforts you | When I failed the exam, my friend was a shoulder to cry on. |
| stick your neck out | take a risk by saying or doing something others may criticise | She stuck her neck out to defend the new idea. |
Heart, chest and stomach
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| have a heart of gold | be very kind and generous | Our neighbour has a heart of gold — she cooks for anyone who is ill. |
| get something off your chest | tell someone about something that has been worrying you | I need to get this off my chest: I broke your mug. |
| not have the stomach for | not have the courage or desire for something unpleasant | I don't have the stomach for horror films. |
Legs and feet
| Idiom | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| break a leg | good luck (especially before a performance) | Break a leg in your speech tonight! |
| pull someone's leg | joke with someone by telling them something untrue | Relax, I'm pulling your leg — the exam isn't tomorrow. |
| get cold feet | become nervous and change your mind about a plan | He got cold feet the day before the bungee jump. |
Tips for remembering body idioms
- Act them out. Touch your chin for "keep your chin up", cross your fingers for luck — physical memory helps.
- Group by feeling. Nervousness: cold feet, butterflies. Honesty: get it off your chest. Help: give a hand, shoulder to cry on.
- Notice the possessive. It changes with the subject: I bit my tongue / She bit her tongue.
- Don't translate literally. "Break a leg" sounds violent but is a friendly wish; "pull your leg" has nothing to do with legs.
Choose the right idiom.
- Her name was ______ but I just couldn't remember it.
- He wanted to quit the course, but his friends ______ and he stayed.
- I'm nervous about tomorrow — please ______ for me.
- She ______ by asking about his ex-girlfriend at the wedding.
- We don't ______ on many things, but we're still good friends.
- He agreed to sing, then ______ an hour before the show.
Show answers
- on the tip of my tongue
- twisted his arm
- keep your fingers crossed
- put her foot in her mouth
- see eye to eye
- got cold feet
More expressions with vivid images: animal idioms. For whole-sentence sayings with advice, see English proverbs.
Frequently asked questions
What are body idioms?
Body idioms are English expressions that use parts of the body with a figurative meaning, such as “see eye to eye” (agree) or “get cold feet” (become nervous and back out).
What does “break a leg” mean?
It is a friendly way to wish someone good luck, especially before a performance or presentation. It is not meant literally.
What does “pull someone’s leg” mean?
To pull someone’s leg is to joke with them by telling them something untrue, usually in a playful way.
Is “green thumb” or “green fingers” correct?
Both are correct. “Green thumb” is American English and “green fingers” is British English; both mean being good at gardening.
Are body idioms informal?
Most are informal or neutral and work well in conversation. A few, like “rule of thumb”, are fine in semi-formal writing.