English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
Alphabetical List of Idioms - H, page 6
from: 'headless chicken'
to: 'turn on the heat'
- headless chicken
- If a person rushes about like a headless chicken, they act in a disorderly way,
without thinking or analyzing the situation carefully.
"As soon as the store opened, my mother started running around like a headless chicken, eager to find bargains."
- If a person rushes about like a headless chicken, they act in a disorderly way,
without thinking or analyzing the situation carefully.
- hear a pin drop
- To say that you could hear a pin drop means that it is so silent you could hear the slightest noise.
"People were listening so intently that you could hear a pin drop."
- To say that you could hear a pin drop means that it is so silent you could hear the slightest noise.
- hear through the grapevine
- If you hear of something through the grapevine, you
learn about it informally, for example through friends or colleagues.
"How did you hear that?" "Oh, through the grapevine as usual!"
- If you hear of something through the grapevine, you
learn about it informally, for example through friends or colleagues.
- heart's content
- If you do something
to your heart's content, you do it as
much and for as long as you want.
"When my parents are away, I can watch television to my heart's content!"
- If you do something
to your heart's content, you do it as
much and for as long as you want.
- heart in your mouth
- A person who has their heart in their mouth feels extremely anxious or nervous faced with a
dangerous or unpleasant situation.
"Emma had her heart in her mouth when she saw her two-year-old son standing in front of the open window."
- A person who has their heart in their mouth feels extremely anxious or nervous faced with a
dangerous or unpleasant situation.
- heart in the right place
- A person who has their heart in the right place has
kind feelings and good intentions, even if the results are not too good.
"The old lady's cake wasn't wonderful but she's got her heart in the right place!"
- A person who has their heart in the right place has
kind feelings and good intentions, even if the results are not too good.
- heart of the matter
- The most important part or aspect of a situation is called theheart of the matter.
"We need to get to the heart of the matter - what caused the accident?"
- The most important part or aspect of a situation is called theheart of the matter.
- 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."
- If you wear your heart on your sleeve, you allow others to see your emotions or feelings.
- heart of stone
- Someone who has a heart of stone is a cold person who shows others no understanding, sympathy or pity.
"She's not the person to go to if you've got problems - she's got a heart of stone!"
- Someone who has a heart of stone is a cold person who shows others no understanding, sympathy or pity.
- heart misses (or skips) a beat
- If your heart misses (or skips) a beat, you have sudden feeling of fear or excitement.
"When the lights suddenly went out, my heart missed a beat."
- If your heart misses (or skips) a beat, you have sudden feeling of fear or excitement.
- heart set on something
- Someone who has their heart set on something wants it very much.
"From an early age Tiger has his heart set on becoming a professional golfer."
- Someone who has their heart set on something wants it very much.
- heart sinks
- If your heart sinks, you feel very unhappy and despondent.
"My heart sank when I saw the amount of work waiting for me."
- If your heart sinks, you feel very unhappy and despondent.
- heat is on
- To say that the heat is on means that you are under a
lot of pressure to get something done, usually within a time limit.
"The project must be ready for next Friday, so the heat is on."
- To say that the heat is on means that you are under a
lot of pressure to get something done, usually within a time limit.
- turn on/up the heat
- If you turn on/up the heat on a person or
organisation, you put pressure on them in order to obtain what you want.
"If the goods are not delivered this week, we'll have to turn on the heat."
- If you turn on/up the heat on a person or
organisation, you put pressure on them in order to obtain what you want.
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