Did you know that English has many body idioms that can make your speech more natural and fun? Idioms with body parts are used in daily conversations, and learning them can help you sound more like a native speaker.
For example, have you ever “kept your fingers crossed” for good luck? Or “had a frog in your throat” when you couldn’t speak clearly? These are just a few examples of idioms using body parts that people use all the time!
In this article, you’ll learn 75 useful body idioms with easy meanings and examples so you can start using them in your own conversations.
65 Common Body Idioms Explained Simply with Examples
1. Break a leg
Meaning: Good luck.
Example: You have an important exam tomorrow—break a leg!
2. Keep an eye on
Meaning: Watch carefully.
Example: Can you keep an eye on my bag while I go to the restroom?
3. Give someone the cold shoulder
Meaning: Ignore someone.
Example: After our argument, she gave me the cold shoulder all day.
4. A pain in the neck
Meaning: Someone or something that is very annoying.
Example: My little brother can be a real pain in the neck sometimes.
5. Get cold feet
Meaning: Become nervous before an event.
Example: He got cold feet before his big wedding.
6. Have a sweet tooth
Meaning: Love sweets and sugary food.
Example: She eats chocolate every day—she really has a sweet tooth!
7. Put your best foot forward
Meaning: Try your hardest.
Example: He put his best foot forward in the job interview.
8. Keep your chin up
Meaning: Stay positive and don’t give up.
Example: I know you failed the test, but keep your chin up!
9. Let your hair down
Meaning: Relax and have fun.
Example: It’s the weekend—time to let your hair down!
10. By the skin of your teeth
Meaning: Just barely succeed.
Example: He passed the exam by the skin of his teeth.
Read this article: 90 Animal Idioms Explained: Meanings, Examples, and Exercises Included.
11. Cost an arm and a leg
Meaning: Be very expensive.
Example: That designer bag cost an arm and a leg!
12. Play it by ear
Meaning: Go with the flow and not plan ahead.
Example: We don’t have a plan; we’ll just play it by ear.
13. Put your foot in your mouth
Meaning: Say something embarrassing or inappropriate.
Example: I put my foot in my mouth when I asked about her ex-husband.
14. Have a big mouth
Meaning: Talk too much or reveal secrets.
Example: Don’t tell him anything private—he has a big mouth!
15. Face the music
Meaning: Accept the consequences of your actions.
Example: He cheated on the test and had to face the music.
16. Get off someone’s back
Meaning: Stop annoying or criticizing someone.
Example: I’ll clean my room later—get off my back!
17. Stick your neck out
Meaning: Take a risk.
Example: He stuck his neck out to defend his friend.
18. Lend a hand
Meaning: Help someone.
Example: Can you lend a hand with the heavy boxes?
19. Have a heart of gold
Meaning: Be kind and generous.
Example: She always helps others—she has a heart of gold.
20. See eye to eye
Meaning: Agree with someone.
Example: We don’t always see eye to eye on politics.
Read this article: 40 Horse Idioms with Meaning and Examples You Can Use Daily.
21. Keep your nose out of something
Meaning: Stop interfering.
Example: This is not your business—keep your nose out of it!
22. Give someone a hand
Meaning: Applaud or help someone.
Example: Let’s give the performers a hand!
23. Pull someone’s leg
Meaning: Joke with someone.
Example: Are you serious, or are you pulling my leg?
24. Have a gut feeling
Meaning: Have a strong instinct.
Example: I have a gut feeling that something is wrong.
25. A shoulder to cry on
Meaning: Someone who offers emotional support.
Example: My best friend is always a shoulder to cry on.
26. Get something off your chest
Meaning: Talk about something that is bothering you.
Example: I feel better now that I got it off my chest.
27. Have a chip on your shoulder
Meaning: Be easily offended.
Example: He has a chip on his shoulder about his past.
28. Drag your feet
Meaning: Be slow to do something.
Example: Stop dragging your feet and finish your homework.
29. Be all ears
Meaning: Listen carefully.
Example: Tell me your story—I’m all ears!
30. Hold your tongue
Meaning: Stay silent.
Example: I wanted to complain, but I held my tongue.
Read this article: 80 Money Idioms Explained.
31. Pull your weight
Meaning: Do your fair share of work.
Example: Everyone needs to pull their weight in a team.
32. Have eyes in the back of your head
Meaning: Be very aware.
Example: Teachers seem to have eyes in the back of their heads!
33. Stick to your guns
Meaning: Stand firm in your beliefs.
Example: He stuck to his guns and didn’t change his opinion.
34. Shake a leg
Meaning: Hurry up.
Example: We’re late—shake a leg!
35. Put your back into it
Meaning: Work hard.
Example: If you want to win, put your back into it!
36. Know something like the back of your hand
Meaning: Be very familiar with something.
Example: I know this city like the back of my hand.
37. Have cold feet
Meaning: Be nervous about something important.
Example: She got cold feet before her performance.
38. Twist someone’s arm
Meaning: Persuade someone to do something.
Example: I didn’t want to go, but she twisted my arm.
39. Let your heart rule your head
Meaning: Make decisions based on emotions.
Example: He let his heart rule his head and forgave her.
40. Put your money where your mouth is
Meaning: Back up words with actions.
Example: If you believe in charity, donate! Put your money where your mouth is.
Read this article: 100 Tasty Food Idioms with Meanings.
41. Bite your tongue
Meaning: Stop yourself from saying something.
Example: I wanted to tell her the truth, but I bit my tongue.
42. Have your hands full
Meaning: Be very busy.
Example: I can’t help you right now—I have my hands full.
43. Wrap your head around something
Meaning: Understand something difficult.
Example: It took me a while to wrap my head around the new rules.
44. Live from hand to mouth
Meaning: Have just enough money to survive.
Example: Many people live from hand to mouth after losing their jobs.
45. Have your heart set on something
Meaning: Want something very much.
Example: She has her heart set on studying abroad.
46. Jump down someone’s throat
Meaning: React angrily.
Example: I only asked a question—there was no need to jump down my throat!
47. The apple of someone’s eye
Meaning: Someone’s favorite person.
Example: His daughter is the apple of his eye.
48. Make your blood boil
Meaning: Make someone very angry.
Example: The unfair decision made my blood boil.
49. Put your finger on something
Meaning: Identify something exactly.
Example: I can’t put my finger on it, but something is wrong.
50. Have a heart-to-heart
Meaning: Have a deep and honest conversation.
Example: We had a heart-to-heart about our future.
51. Give someone a pat on the back
Meaning: Praise someone.
Example: He got a pat on the back for his hard work.
52. Lead by the nose
Meaning: Control someone completely.
Example: He lets his boss lead him by the nose.
53. Have a skeleton in the closet
Meaning: Have a hidden secret.
Example: Everyone has a skeleton in the closet.
54. Have a thick skin
Meaning: Not be easily offended.
Example: You need a thick skin to work in customer service.
55. Give someone the finger
Meaning: Make a rude gesture.
Example: He got angry and gave the driver the finger.
56. Bite the hand that feeds you
Meaning: Hurt someone who helps you.
Example: Don’t bite the hand that feeds you—appreciate what you have.
57. Put your shoulder to the wheel
Meaning: Work hard.
Example: If we all put our shoulders to the wheel, we will finish on time.
58. Get under someone’s skin
Meaning: Annoy or bother someone.
Example: His rude comments really get under my skin.
59. Have eyes bigger than your stomach
Meaning: Take more food than you can eat.
Example: I ordered too much—I always have eyes bigger than my stomach.
60. Have a nose for something
Meaning: Be naturally good at finding something.
Example: She has a nose for good business opportunities.
61. Have a lot on your plate
Meaning: Have many responsibilities.
Example: I can’t take on another task—I already have a lot on my plate.
62. Give someone a black eye
Meaning: Damage someone’s reputation.
Example: The scandal gave the company a black eye.
63. Put words in someone’s mouth
Meaning: Say something that another person did not say.
Example: I never said that! Stop putting words in my mouth.
64. Be on your last legs
Meaning: Be very tired or near failure.
Example: My phone is on its last legs—I need a new one.
65. Get something into your head
Meaning: Finally understand something.
Example: You need to get it into your head that studying is important!
10 idioms with body parts
66. Break your back
Meaning: Work very hard.
Example: He broke his back to finish the project on time.
67. Have a stiff upper lip
Meaning: Stay strong and not show emotions in difficult situations.
Example: Even after losing his job, he kept a stiff upper lip.
68. Keep your fingers crossed
Meaning: Hope for a good result.
Example: I have a job interview tomorrow—keep your fingers crossed for me!
69. Stretch your legs
Meaning: Go for a walk after sitting for a long time.
Example: After a long flight, I needed to stretch my legs.
70. Keep your hair on
Meaning: Stay calm and don’t get angry.
Example: Keep your hair on! It was just a small mistake.
71. Have itchy feet
Meaning: Want to travel or move.
Example: After a year in one place, I have itchy feet again.
72. Give someone the elbow
Meaning: End a relationship.
Example: She gave him the elbow after five years together.
73. Twiddle your thumbs
Meaning: Be bored and have nothing to do.
Example: I was twiddling my thumbs while waiting for my friend.
74. Have a frog in your throat
Meaning: Have difficulty speaking because of a dry or sore throat.
Example: I had a frog in my throat during my speech.
75. Keep your ear to the ground
Meaning: Stay informed about something.
Example: He always keeps his ear to the ground for new job opportunities.
Conclusion
Now you know 75 useful body idioms that can help you sound more natural in English! Learning idioms with body parts is a great way to improve your vocabulary and understand native speakers better. Try using some of these idioms using body parts in your daily conversations. The more you practice, the easier they will become! Which idiom is your favorite?
