English idioms: Emotions
21 idioms with meanings and example sentences, plus where many of them come from.
over the moonto be extremely happy or delighted about somethingShe was over the moon when she found out she got accepted into the university.Origin: Likely inspired by the nursery rhyme 'Hey Diddle Diddle,' in which a cow jumps over the moon; used since the 19th century to express great joy.
on cloud nineto feel extremely happy and euphoricHe's been on cloud nine ever since his girlfriend said yes to his proposal.Origin: Comes from a 1950s U.S. weather classification system where cloud nine referred to the highest, most billowy clouds.
fly off the handleto suddenly become very angryMy dad flew off the handle when he saw the dent in the car.Origin: Refers to a loose axe head flying off its handle unpredictably during use, an American expression from the 1800s.
see redto become suddenly very angryI saw red when the waiter spilled coffee all over my laptop.Origin: Thought to come from bullfighting, where a red cape is used to provoke a bull's rage, though the link is debated.
blow a fuseto lose one's temper and become extremely angryThe manager blew a fuse when he discovered the report was late again.Origin: Compares a person's anger to an electrical fuse overloading and blowing out.
scared stiffto be extremely frightened, almost unable to moveI was scared stiff when the lights suddenly went out during the storm.Origin: Describes the way intense fear can make the body freeze up as if it were rigid.
jump out of your skinto be extremely startled or frightened by something suddenI nearly jumped out of my skin when the phone rang in the silent room.Origin: A hyperbolic English expression used since at least the 18th century to describe a sudden shock or fright.
down in the dumpsto feel sad, depressed, or in low spiritsHe's been down in the dumps since he lost his job last month.Origin: Dates back to the 16th century, with 'dumps' once referring to a state of melancholy or gloomy meditation.
cry your eyes outto cry very hard for a long timeShe cried her eyes out after watching the sad ending of the movie.Origin: A common intensifying idiom used to describe intense, prolonged crying, in use since at least the 19th century.
at the end of your ropeto feel like you have no more patience or energy left to cope with a stressful situationAfter weeks of exams and no sleep, I was at the end of my rope.Origin: Evokes the image of an animal tethered by a rope that has run out of slack, unable to go any further.
under the weatherto feel unwell, tired, or stressedI've been feeling a bit under the weather with all the deadlines piling up this week.Origin: Believed to originate from sailors who would go below deck to avoid rough weather when feeling ill.
on pins and needlesto feel very nervous or anxious while waiting for something to happenWe were on pins and needles waiting for the exam results to be posted.Origin: Refers to the tingling, prickly sensation in a numb limb, used since the 1800s to describe restless anxiety.
juggling a lotto be handling many tasks or responsibilities at onceSorry for the slow reply, I've been juggling a lot at work this week.Origin: Draws on the image of a juggler keeping several objects in the air at once, used figuratively since the 20th century for handling multiple demands.
butterflies in my stomacha fluttering, nervous feeling before something importantI had butterflies in my stomach right before walking into the interview.Origin: Describes the physical fluttering sensation of nervousness, in common use in English since at least the early 20th century.
feeling really downfeeling sad or low in moodShe's been feeling really down since she heard the news.
running on emptyextremely tired, with no energy leftBy Friday evening, I was running on empty after that week.Origin: Borrows the image of a car nearly out of fuel, used figuratively for exhaustion since at least the mid-20th century.
mind is all over the placeunable to focus, with thoughts scattered in many directionsI couldn't get any work done today, my mind was all over the place.
put yourself in my shoesto imagine a situation from another person's point of viewJust put yourself in my shoes for a second before you judge my decision.Origin: A common English idiom expressing empathy, in wide use since at least the early 20th century.
his days are numberedsaid about someone or something that will soon fail, end, or be removedAfter the third missed deadline, everyone knew his days at the company were numbered.Origin: Traces back to the Bible (Daniel 5:26), where a divine message warns a king that his reign is coming to an end.
it doesn't bode wella sign or event suggests that something bad is likely to happenThe engine light coming on the night before the trip doesn't bode well.Origin: From the old verb 'bode', meaning to be an omen or sign of something to come, used in English since medieval times.
feeling bluefeeling sad or down, often for no specific reasonI've been feeling blue all week, even though nothing's really wrong.Origin: Blue has been linked to sadness in English since at least the 17th century, possibly from sailors flying blue flags when a ship's captain died.
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