English idioms relating to feelings-emotions

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English Idioms relating to FEELINGS - EMOTIONS - REACTIONS
Ants in one's pants	People who have ants in their pants are very restless or excited about something "I wish he'd relax. He's got ants in his pants about something today!"
Bare your heart (or soul) to someone	If you bare your heart or soul to someone, you reveal your innermost thoughts and feelings to them. "John couldn't keep things to himself any longer. He decided to bare his soul to his best friend."
Bear the brunt (of something)	A person who bears the brunt of something is the one who suffers the most when something bad or unpleasant happens. "When things go wrong, his assistant always has to bear the brunt of his anger."
Beside yourself (with an emotion)	If you are beside yourself (with an emotion), you lose your self-control because of the intensity of the emotion you are feeling. "He was beside himself with grief when he lost his son."
Cause a stir	If something causes a stir, it creates an atmosphere of excitement or great interest. "The arrival of the actress caused quite a stir in the village."
A chip on your shoulder	If someone has a chip on their shoulder, they feel resentful because they feel they are being treated unfairly, especially because of their background, their sex or their colour.
Close to home	If a remark or comment is close to home, it is so true, or it affects you so directly, that you feel uncomfortable. "Alan looks embarrassed. Bob's comment must have been close to home!"
Come apart at the seams	To say that someone is coming apart at the seams means that they are extremely upset or under severe mental stress. "Bob has had so many problems lately, he's coming apart at the seams."
Cork something up	If you cork something up (feelings, emotions), you fail to show or express them. "It would be better for her if she showed her grief and didn't cork up her feelings."
Out of your depth.	If you are out of your depth, it means you are in a situation which is too difficult for you, or which you know little about.
On the edge of one's seat	Someone who is on the edge of their seat is very interested in something and finds it both extremely exciting and nerve-wracking. "Look at Bob! He's on the edge of his seat watching that rugby match."
Keep one's feet on the ground	A person who keeps their feet on the ground continues to act in a sensible and practical way, even if they become successful.
Fever pitch	If a situation or feeling reaches fever pitch, it becomes very intense and exciting. "Reaction to the affair has reached fever pitch all over the country."
A fish out of water	If you feel like a fish out of water , you feel uncomfortable because of an unfamiliar situation or unfamiliar surroundings. "As a non-golfer, I felt like a fish out of water at the clubhouse."
Freudian slip	This refers to a mistake made by a speaker which is considered to reveal their true thoughts or feelings. "So you got the job - I'm so sad - sorry, I mean glad!"
Get a grip on yourself	If you get a grip on yourself, you make an effort to control your feelings so as to be able to deal with a situation.. "After the initial shock, Lisa got a grip on herself and called an ambulance."
Go to pieces	If you go to pieces, for example after a terrible shock, you are so upset or distressed that you cannot lead your life normally. "Jack nearly went to pieces when his son died in a plane crash."
Groan inwardly	If you groan inwardly, you feel like expressing despair, disapproval or distress, but you remain silent. "On his return, when Pete saw the pile of files on his desk, he groaned inwardly."
Hard as nails	A person who is hard (or 'tough') as nails is unsentimental and shows no sympathy. "Don't expect any sympathy from him. He's as hard as hails."
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!"
Change of heart	If someone has a change of heart, they change their attitude or feelings, especially towards greater friendliness or cooperation. "He was against charity, but he had a change of heart when he saw the plight of the homeless."
Couldn't give a hoot!	To say that you don't or couldn't give a hoot, means that you don't care at all about something. "She wears eccentric clothes but she's couldn't give a hoot about what others think."
Hope against hope	If you hope against hope, you continue to hope even when the situation looks bad "The whole building was destroyed by fire. John's parents are hoping against hope that he escaped in time."
Hot under the collar	If you get hot under the collar, you feel annoyed, indignant or embarrassed. "If anyone criticizes his proposals, Joe immediately gets hot under the collar."
Keep your fingers crossed	If you keep your fingers crossed, you hope that something will be successful. "I'm doing my driving test tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for me."
Keep a stiff upper lip	If a person keeps a stiff upper lip, they contain their emotion and do not let other people see their feelings. "When she heard the bad news, she kept a stiff upper lip."
Cut the atmosphere with a knife	To say that you could "cut the atmosphere with a knife" means that the atmosphere is extremely tense or unfriendly.
Know someone/something inside out.	If you know someone or something inside out, you know them very well.
A lump in your throat	If you have a lump in your throat, you have a tight feeling in your throat because of a strong emotion such as sadness or gratitude. "The speech was so touching that I had a lump in my throat."
Make one's flesh crawl	Something that makes your flesh crawl fills you with disgust or makes you feel very nervous. "Just talking about snakes makes my flesh crawl."
Nice as pie	If a person is nice as pie, they are surprisingly very kind and friendly "After our argument, she was nice as pie!"
No hard feelings	If you have no hard feelings, you feel no resentment or bitterness about something. When Jack was promoted instead of Steve, he said to Steve : "No hard feelings I hope."
Nose out of joint	If a person's nose is out of joint, they have been upset, embarrassed or offended by somebody or something. "When he discovered that he wasn't on the invitation list, that really put his nose out of joint.'
As pleased (or as proud) as punch	Someone who is as pleased (or as proud) as punch is delighted or feels very satisfied about something. "Danny was as proud as punch when he won the tennis match."
Pour your heart out	If you pour your heart out to someone, you express your feelings and troubles freely. "When she needs to pour her heart out to someone, she goes to visit her grandmother."
Prey on someone's mind	If something preys on your mind, it troubles you so much that you keep thinking about it. "The vision of the house on fire kept preying on her mind."
Prolong the agony	If someone prolongs the agony, they make an unpleasant or tense situation last longer than necessary. "Please don't prolong the agony. Just tell me whether I've been accepted or not."
Proud as a peacock	A person who is as proud as a peacock is extremely proud. "When his son won first prize, Bill was as proud as a peacock."
Put one's foot in one's mouth	If you put your foot in your mouth, you do or say something that offends, upsets or embarrasses someone else. "She really put her foot in her mouth when she mentioned the housewarming party - Andy hadn't been invited!"
Have a soft spot	If you have a soft spot for someone or something, you particularly like them. "My grandfather has always had a soft spot for fast cars."
Speak volumes	If something speaks volumes, it expresses a reaction or opinion very clearly, with no need for words. "The happy smile on the child's face when he opened the box spoke volumes about my choice of gift."
On the spot	If you put somebody on the spot, you put them in a difficult situation, for example by asking embarrassing or difficult questions which they cannot avoid. "When the reporter was asked to reveal his source, he was really put on the spot."
Let off steam.	To let off steam means to say or do something to relieve your feelings about something.
Strike (or hit) a raw nerve	If something you say strikes a raw nerve, it upsets someone because they are very sensitive about the subject. "Julie has just lost her job. You struck a raw nerve when you mentioned unemployment."
Take a load/weight off somebody's mind	If something takes a load or weight off somebody's mind, it brings great relief because a problem has been solved. "When the company closed down, finding a new job took a load off Tom's mind."
To be on tenterhooks	A person who is on tenterhooks is in a state of anxious suspense or excitement.
That's the last straw!	To say 'that's the last straw' expresses exasperation at the last in a series of unpleasant events which makes the situation intolerable. "After a harassing day of negotiating, the traffic jam was the last straw!"
Think the world of someone	If you think the world of someone, you like or admire them very much. "She's a wonderful grandmother - the children think the world of her."
A thorn in your side	If you say someone is a thorn in your side, you mean that they continually irritate or annoy you.
Tongue-tied	If you are tongue-tied, you have difficulty in expressing yourself because you are nervous or embarrassed. "At the start of the interview I was completely tongue-tied, but little by little I relaxed."
Tug at the heartstrings	To say that something or someone tugs at the heartstrings means that they cause others to feel a great deal of pity or sadness. "The hospital's plea for donors tugged at the heartstrings of millions of viewers."
not turn a hair	If someone does not turn a hair, they show no emotion in circumstances when a reaction is expected. "When the police came to arrest him, he didn't turn a hair."
Over the moon	If you are over the moon, you are absolutely delighted. "We were all over the moon when we heard the good news."
On the same wavelength	To say that two people are on the same wavelength means that they understand each other well because they share the same interests and opinions.<
Weak at the knees	If a person is weak at the knees, they are temporarily barely able to stand because of emotion, fear or illness. "The shock of the announcement made me go weak at the knees."
Wear your heart on your sleeve	If you wear your heart on your sleeve, you allow others to see your emotions or feelings. "You could see she was hurt - she wears her heart on her sleeve."
At one's wits' end	If you are at your wits' end, you are very worried or anxious about something, and you don't know what to do. "When her son dropped out of school for the second time, Susan was at her wits' end."

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