|
Idiom |
Meaning |
|
|
Brain |
|
Brain
like a sieve |
Someone who has a brain like a sieve
has a very bad memory and
forgets things easily.
"Oh, I forgot
to buy bread - I've got a brain like a sieve these days!" |
|
Have something on the brain |
If you have something on the brain,
you think or talk about it constantly.
"Stop talking about golf. You've got golf on the brain!" |
| No-brainer |
A decision or choice that requires little or no thought, because the
best option is so obvious, is called a no-brainer.
"The choice was between a cash refund or having the amount
credited
to my account - it was a no-brainer! - I took the cash! |
|
Pick someone's
brains |
If you pick someone's brains, you
ask questions about a particular
subject in order to obtain
advice or information.
"Could we have lunch together? I'd like to pick your brains about
something." |
|
Rack one's brains |
If you rack your brains, you try
very hard to think of something or to
remember something.
"Christmas is always a hassle for me. I have to rack my brains every
year to find ideas for presents." |
Wrap your brain around
something |
If you concentrate on something so as to try to understand it,
you wrap your brain around it.
"I
need a translation of that report urgently, so wrap you brain round
it
fast!" |
|
Hair |
| Bad hair day |
Originating as a
humorous comment about one's hair being
unmanageable, this term has broadened to mean 'a day when
everything seems to go wrong'.
"What's wrong with Jenny? Is she having a bad hair day?" |
|
| By
a hair's breadth |
If you avoid or miss something by a hair's breadth, you
only just
manage to escape from a danger.
"A slate fell off the roof and missed the child by a hair's
breadth." |
| Hair of the dog that bit you |
This expression means that you use as a remedy a small amount
of what made you ill, for example a drink of alcohol when recovering
from drinking too much.
"Here, have a drop of this. It's a little hair of the dog that bit you!" |
|
Get in someone's
hair |
If you are getting in somebody's hair, you are
annoying them so
much that they can't get on with what they're
doing.
"I'd finish the report more quickly if my colleague wasn't
getting in
my hair all the time!" |
|
Let one's hair down.
|
If you suggest that
someone should let their hair down,
you are telling them to relax and enjoy themselves.
"Come on! We' re not in the office now. You can let your hair
down!" |
|
Not a hair out of place
|
To say that someone does not have a hair out
of place
means that
their appearance is perfect.
"Angela is always impeccably
dressed - never a hair out of place!"
|
|
Split hairs
|
If you split hairs, you pay too much attention to
differences
that are very small or not important.
"If we start splitting hairs, we'll never reach an agreement!"
|
|
Head |
|
Can't make head or
tail of
something |
If you can't make head or tail of
something, you can't understand it
at all.
"Julie's message was so confusing, I couldn't make head or tail of
it! " |
| Come
to a head |
If a problem or difficult situation comes to head, it reaches a point
where action has to be taken.
"The problem came to a head yesterday when rioting broke out in
the streets." |
| Old head on
young shoulders |
This expression is used to refer to a child or young person who
thinks and
expresses themselves like an older more-experienced
person.
"When she heard Emily warning her little brother to stay out of trouble,
her
mum thought : "That's an old head on young shoulders". |
|
In
over your head |
If you are in over your head, you
are involved in something that is
too difficult for you to handle.
"I accepted to organize the festival, but I quickly realized that I was
in
over my head." |
|
Have your head in the clouds |
If you have your head in the clouds, you are so absorbed by
your
thoughts that you are not paying attention to what is happening
around you.
"He's doesn't listen to the teacher - he's got his head in the clouds
all the time!" |
| Have
one's head screwed on |
Someone who has their head
screwed on is a sensible and realistic
person.
"Don't worry about him.. He's adventurous but he's got his head
screwed on." |
| Head
over heels in love |
When a person falls passionately in love with another, they are said
to be head over heels in love.
"Tony's only interest at the moment is Maria. He's head over heels
in
love with her!" |
|
Keep your head above water |
To keep one's head above water
means to try to survive by staying
out of debt, for example a small business. |
|
Keep a level head |
If you keep a level head, you remain calm and sensible no
matter
how difficult or distressful the situation may be.
"All through the hijacking the pilot kept a level head." |
|
Off the top of one's head |
To say something off the top of your
head means that you are
giving an immediate reaction, and not a carefully considered opinion,
so it might not be correct. |
|
A
swelled/swollen head |
Someone who has a swelled/swollen head has become proud or
conceited, usually because of recent success.
"Larry's promotion has given him a swelled head!" |
| Wet
the baby's head |
This expression means to have to drink to celebrate the birth of a baby.
"When his first child was born, Tom invited his colleagues to
a local bar
to wet the baby's head." |
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