Body Idioms

Updated 2026-10-10 · Idiom Meanings editorial team

This is the Body Idioms section of Idiom Meanings. It lists 20 pages, including A pain in the neck, All ears, Bite your tongue, Break a leg, By the skin of your teeth, Cost an arm and a leg and more. Each page starts with a quick answer, then gives examples under clear headings and ends with frequently asked questions. Pick a page below, or use the idiom finder to jump straight to what you need. Pages are written by the Idiom Meanings editorial team, checked before publication and updated when readers send corrections; the date under each title shows the last update. The whole section is free to read and needs no account.

A pain in the neck: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsAll ears: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsBite your tongue: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsBreak a leg: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsBy the skin of your teeth: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsCost an arm and a leg: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsFace the music: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsGet cold feet: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsGet something off your chest: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsGive someone the cold shoulder: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsHead over heels: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsKeep an eye on: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsKeep your chin up: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsLend a hand: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsOn the tip of my tongue: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsPlay it by ear: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsPull someone's leg: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsPut your foot down: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsSee eye to eye: Meaning and ExamplesBody IdiomsThick skin: Meaning and ExamplesBody Idioms

• A pain in the neck: Meaning and Examples
  The phrase a pain in the neck means something or someone is very annoying, irritating, or troublesome. It describes a minor but persistent annoyance that disrupts your peace or patience. You can use it to express mild frustration about daily inconveniences or difficult people without being overly harsh or aggressive.
• All ears: Meaning and Examples
  The idiom all ears meaning indicates that someone is listening with complete attention and interest. When you tell a person you are all ears, you signal that you are ready to hear what they have to say without any distractions or interruptions.
• Bite your tongue: Meaning and Examples
  The idiom bite your tongue means to deliberately stop yourself from saying something, usually to avoid an argument or insult. It describes the physical sensation of holding back words that you urgently want to speak. People use this phrase when silence is the better option.
• Break a leg: Meaning and Examples
  Break a leg means to wish someone good luck, especially before they perform or present. It is a common expression used in theater and other public speaking contexts to encourage success. People say it to show support without jinxing the event with direct praise.
• By the skin of your teeth: Meaning and Examples
  The phrase by the skin of your teeth meaning is often searched when people want to describe a very close call. It means you succeeded or escaped danger by the smallest possible margin, with almost no room for error or failure at all.
• Cost an arm and a leg: Meaning and Examples
  To say something costs an arm and a leg means it is extremely expensive. This common idiom describes a price so high that it feels like a significant sacrifice to pay. People use it to emphasize the shocking or burdensome nature of a specific cost.
• Face the music: Meaning and Examples
  To face the music means to accept unpleasant consequences or criticism for your actions. You use this phrase when someone must deal with the results of their behavior, even if it feels uncomfortable or scary. It implies responsibility without making excuses.
• Get cold feet: Meaning and Examples
  To get cold feet means to become suddenly afraid or nervous about doing something you had previously planned to do. This sudden loss of courage often leads someone to cancel their plans or back out of a commitment at the last minute.
• Get something off your chest: Meaning and Examples
  The get something off your chest meaning refers to sharing hidden worries or secrets to relieve mental burden. People use this phrase when they need to confess troubling thoughts or vent frustrations to feel lighter and relieved.
• Give someone the cold shoulder: Meaning and Examples
  To give someone the cold shoulder means to deliberately ignore or treat another person in an unfriendly, distant manner. It involves snubbing someone intentionally, often as a sign of anger, displeasure, or a desire to end a relationship. This behavior is a clear signal of social rejection.
• Head over heels: Meaning and Examples
  The phrase head over heels means being completely and intensely in love with someone. It also describes feeling wildly excited or enthusiastic about a specific situation, event, or new hobby that has captured your total attention.
• Keep an eye on: Meaning and Examples
  The phrase keep an eye on means to watch something or someone carefully. It implies maintaining a steady level of attention or supervision to ensure safety, track progress, or monitor changes in a specific situation or object over time.
• Keep your chin up: Meaning and Examples
  The phrase keep your chin up means to remain optimistic and hopeful when facing difficult circumstances. It serves as a gentle reminder to maintain a positive attitude despite current challenges or setbacks. People often use this expression to offer comfort and support to friends who are struggling with disappointment, illness, or failure. It encourages emotional resilience without demanding false happiness, simply urging you to look forward with confidence even when the present feels heavy.
• Lend a hand: Meaning and Examples
  To lend a hand means to offer assistance or help someone with a task. It is a common, friendly way to say you are willing to support another person. You can use this idiom in both casual chats and professional settings to show teamwork.
• On the tip of my tongue: Meaning and Examples
  The phrase on the tip of my tongue describes the frustrating feeling when you know a word or name perfectly well but cannot recall it at that exact moment. It means the answer is almost there, just out of reach.
• Play it by ear: Meaning and Examples
  To play it by ear means to handle a situation spontaneously without a fixed plan. You decide what to do next based on how events unfold. This approach relies on your instincts and quick thinking rather than a rigid schedule or pre written script for the day.
• Pull someone's leg: Meaning and Examples
  To pull someone's leg means to joke with someone by telling them something false that you hope they will believe for a moment. It is a harmless way to tease friends or family without causing any real offense or harm.
• Put your foot down: Meaning and Examples
  To put your foot down means to assert your authority firmly and refuse to change your decision. It is a decisive action used when you need to stop something immediately. You use it to set a clear limit that others must respect without negotiation.
• See eye to eye: Meaning and Examples
  To see eye to eye means to be in complete agreement with someone. It describes a situation where two or more people share the same opinion, view, or judgment on a specific matter without any conflict or disagreement.
• Thick skin: Meaning and Examples
  To have thick skin means you are emotionally resilient and not easily upset by criticism or rejection. People with this quality do not take negative comments personally. They remain calm under pressure. This trait helps them bounce back quickly after facing difficult feedback or harsh words from others in various settings.