PARTS OF BODY : MEANING AND THEIR IDIOMS
1. HEAD
1. HEAD
`1. forehead : BE /ˈfɔː.hed/ AE/ˈ/ˈfɑr·əd, ˈfɔr-//ˈfɑr·hed, ˈfɔr-/
the flat part of the face, above the eyes and below the hair.
2. eye BE /aɪ/ AE /ɑɪ/ : one of the pair of organs of seeing
in the faces of humans
idioms in AE en eye for an eye : the idea that a person who
causes another person to suffer should suffer in an equal amount.
3. temple BE /ˈtem.pəl/ AE /ˈtem·pəl/ : the flat area at each side
side of your head in front of the top of your ear.
4. pupil Be/AE /ˈpjuː.pəl/ : the circular black area in the centre of
an eye, through which light enters.
5. iris BE/AE /ˈaɪ.rɪs/ : the coloured, circular part of an eye
surrounding the black pupil (central part)
6. nose BE /nəʊz/ AE /noʊz/ : the part of the face above the
mouth through which a person breathes and smells.
idioms in BE
a. be (right) under your nose : to be in a place that you can
clearly see. e.g. I spent all morning looking for the book and
it was right under my nose the whole time
b, (from) under your nose : used about something bad
that happens in an obvious way but in a way that you do not
notice or cannot prevent.
e.g. She stole the shoes from under the assistant's nose.
c. by a nose : win a race or competition by a nose means he/she/it
wins it by very little
e.g. It was a very exciting race. My horse won but only by a nose
d. get up somebody's nose : to annoy someone.
e.g People who drive like that really get up my nose.
e. have your nose in a book : to be reading.
e/g She always has her nose in a book.
f. keep you nose clean : to avoid getting into trouble
e.g. I:d only been out of prison three months, so I was trying
to keep my nose clean.
7. bridge of the nose: the top of the nose, between the eyes, the piece
that is supported by the top part of the nose.
8, nostril BE /ˈnɒs.trəl/ AE /ˈnɑs·trəl/ either of the two openings in the
nose through which air moves when you breathe.
9. cheek BE/AE /tʃiːk/ :the soft part of your face that is below your eyes
and between your mouth and ear/
idiom in BE cheek by jowl : very close together
e.g. The poor lived cheek by jowl in industrial mining in Victorian England
10.lip BE/AE /lɪp/ : one of the two soft, red edges of the mouth.
idiom in BE
a. my lips are sealed : said when you are promising to keep a secreet
e.g. "Oh and please don't tell him you saw me here. "Don;t worry
My lips are sealed.
b. on everyone's lips : being talked about by a lot of people
e.g. The question now on everyone's lips is "Will he resign?"
11, gum BE AE : either of the two areas of firm pink flesh inside the mouth
that cover the bones into which the teeth are fixed.
idiom in BE by gum! ! : used to express surprise
e.g By gums, he;s a big lad !
12. tongue BE AE : the large, soft piece of flesh in the mouth that
you can move, and is used for tasting, speaking, etc.
idioms in BE
a. get your tongue around/round something : to pronounce
a difficult word or phrase
e.g. It's one language that I have real difficulty getting my tongue around
b. loosen somebody's tongue : top make someone speak more
freely
e.g. A couple of glasses of champagne had loosened my tongue and
I said things that perhaps I shouldn't have
c. tongue in cheek : if you say something tongue in cheek, you
intend it to be understood as a joke, although you might appear to be
serious.
e.g. He said that he was a huge fan of the president, although I suspect
it was tongue in cheek.
13. tooth BE AE/tuːθ/ one of the hard, white objects in the mouth that are
used for biting or chewing
idioms in BE
a. fight tooth and nail : to try very hard to get something you want.
e.g. We fought tooth and nail to get the route of the new road changed,
b. get your teeth into something : to deal with something or
become involved n something with great energy and enthusiasm
e.g. I'm so bored at work, I wish they'd give me something I could really
get my teeth into.
14. mouth BE AE/maʊθ/ : the opening in the face of a person consisting
of the lips and the space between them, or the space behind containing
the teeth and the tongue.
15. chin BE AE /tʃɪn/: the part of a person's face below their mouth.
idioms in BE
a. chin up! : something you say to someone in a difficult situation in
order to encourage them to be brave and try not to be sad.
b. take it on the chin : to accept unpleasant events bravely and
without complaining
16. jaw BE AE/dʒɔː : the lower part of your face that moves when you open
your mouth.
idiom in Be somebody's jaw drops open : look very surprised.
e.g My jaw dropped open when she told me how old she was.
19, ear BE/ɪər/ AE /ɪr/ /ɪər/: either of the two organs, one on each side of the
head by which people hear sounds, or the piece of skin and tissue outside
the head connected to this organs
idiom in AE an ear for something : good at hearing, repeating, or
understanding music or languages
e.g He realized he had an ear for languages, and decided
to study abroad
idioms in BE
a. be all ears :to be waiting eagerly to hear about something
e.g. I'm all ears - tee us what they had to say.
b. be out on your ear : to be forced to leave a job or place, especially
because you have done something wrong.
c. ears are flapping : if you say that someone;s ears are flapping,
you mean that they are trying to hear what you are saying; even :
though they are part of your conversation,
d. go in one ear and out the other : quickly forget it.
e.g. If I have to listen to something I done't understand, it just
goes in one ear and out the other.
2. BODY
1. neck BE AE /nek/ : the part of the body that joins the head to the shoulder
idioms in AE :
a. neck and neck : the same level./ equal chance to win etc.
b. someone's neck of the woods (also this neck of the
wood (informal) the are where you are
e.g. I'm surprised to see you in this neck of the woods
idioms in AE :
a. neck and neck : the same level./ equal chance to win etc.
b. someone's neck of the woods (also this neck of the
wood (informal) the are where you are
e.g. I'm surprised to see you in this neck of the woods
2. shoulder :BE /ˈʃəʊl.dər AE : /ˈʃoʊl.dɚ one of the two parts of body
at each side of the neck that join the arms to the rest of the body.
idioms in BE
a. a shoulder to cry on : someone who is willing to listen to your
problems and give you sympathy, emotional support, and encouragement.
e.g I wish you;d been here when my mother died and I needed a
a shoulder to cry on.
b. shoulder to shoulder : close together and next toe each other.
e.g. The refuges were packed shoulder to shoulder on the boat.
c. stand shoulder to shoulder with somebody : to give
someone or a group of people complete support during a difficult time.
at each side of the neck that join the arms to the rest of the body.
idioms in BE
a. a shoulder to cry on : someone who is willing to listen to your
problems and give you sympathy, emotional support, and encouragement.
e.g I wish you;d been here when my mother died and I needed a
a shoulder to cry on.
b. shoulder to shoulder : close together and next toe each other.
e.g. The refuges were packed shoulder to shoulder on the boat.
c. stand shoulder to shoulder with somebody : to give
someone or a group of people complete support during a difficult time.
3. chest BE/AE /tʃest/ : the upper front part of the body of humans, between the
stomach and the neck, containing the heart and lungs,
idiom in BE :
get something off your chest : to tell someone about something
that has been worrying you or making you feel guilty for a long time.
e.g. I had spent two months worrying about it and it was glad to get it
off my chest.
stomach and the neck, containing the heart and lungs,
idiom in BE :
get something off your chest : to tell someone about something
that has been worrying you or making you feel guilty for a long time.
e.g. I had spent two months worrying about it and it was glad to get it
off my chest.
4. nipple BE/AE /ˈnɪp.l̩ the dark part of the skin which sticks out from
the breast of a mammal and through which milk is supplied to the young.
the breast of a mammal and through which milk is supplied to the young.
5. stomach BE/AE/ˈstʌm.ək an organ in the body where food is digested,
or the soft front part of your body just below the chest.
idioms in BE :
a. have a strong stomach : to be able to smell, taste, or see unpleasant
things without feeling ill or upset.
e.g. You need to have a very strong stomach to watch some of the
surgery scenes.
b. have a weak stomach : to easily feel ill or upset when you smell,
taste, or see something unpleasant.
c. not have the stomach for something : to not feel brave or
determined enough to do something unpleasant.
e,g, I didn't have the stomach for another fight.
or the soft front part of your body just below the chest.
idioms in BE :
a. have a strong stomach : to be able to smell, taste, or see unpleasant
things without feeling ill or upset.
e.g. You need to have a very strong stomach to watch some of the
surgery scenes.
b. have a weak stomach : to easily feel ill or upset when you smell,
taste, or see something unpleasant.
c. not have the stomach for something : to not feel brave or
determined enough to do something unpleasant.
e,g, I didn't have the stomach for another fight.
6. navel BE/AE /ˈneɪ.vəl/ : the small round part in the middle of the stomach
that is left after the umbilical cord has been cut at birth,
that is left after the umbilical cord has been cut at birth,
7. waist BE/Ae /weɪst/ : the part of the body above and slightly
narrower than the hips. :
narrower than the hips. :
9. back BE/AE /bæk/ : the part of your body that is opposite to the front,
from your shoulders to your bottom.
from your shoulders to your bottom.
9. hip BE/AE /hɪp/ : the area below the waist and above the legs at
either side of the body, or the joint that connects the leg to the
upper part of the body.
either side of the body, or the joint that connects the leg to the
upper part of the body.
10. buttocks BE AE /ˈbʌt̬.ək/ : either side of a person's bottom.
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2 comments
Thank you very much for this lesson.
This post very helpful for student and who start to learn English, after this post I know about parts of body name in English. Keep it up this work.