phrases, sayings, proverbs and idioms at
Home button Home | Search the phrases.org.uk website Search | Phrase Dictionary | Phrases related to the body

Phrases related to the human body

...see our linked list of phrases about:

All of the phrases below contain a reference to a part of the human body - brain, shoulder, face, toe etc. There are more of them than you might expect, around 600 here and no doubt you can think of a few others...

A list of phrases related to the human body

A bear of very little brain.

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

A chip on your shoulder.

A finger of Fudge is just enough to give your kids a treat ( Cadbury's advertising slogan ).

A foot in both camps.

A hair up your ass.

A head for business and a body for sin.

A healthy mind in a healthy body.

A lump in the throat.

A man after my own heart.

A room without books is like a body without a soul ( Marcus Tullius Cicero quotation ).

A shoulder to cry on.

A viper in your bosom.

Able bodied.

Above my head.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Acid head.

Affair of the heart.

After your own heart.

Air head.

All mouth and trousers.

Always have your nose in a book.

Ample bosom.

An albatross round his neck.

An army marches on its stomach.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Ankle biter.

Ankle deep.

Arm candy.

Arm in arm.

Arms and the Man.

Arse about face.

Arse bandit.

Arse over tit.

As busy as a one legged arse kicker.

As cold as a well digger's arse.

As crooked as a dog's hind leg.

As cute as a bug's ear.

As fine as frog's hair.

As long as your arm.

As mad as a bear with a sore head.

As many chins as a Chinese phone book.

As plain as the nose on your face.

As stiff as a poker.

As tight as a duck's arse.

As useless as tits on a boar.

At first hand.

Athlete's foot.

Atom Heart Mother ( Pink Floyd album title ).

Babe in arms.

Bad hair day.

Bad taste in the mouth.

Bang your head against a brick wall.

Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer came down upon her head ( Beatles' song lyric ).

Barnet Fair ( Cockney rhyming slang for hair ).

Be it on your head.

Be still my quiet heart.

Bear arms.

Bend your ear.

Bend your elbow.

Bite someone's head off.

Bite the hand that feeds you.

Bite your hand off.

Bite your lip.

Biting the hand that feeds IT ( The Register advertising slogan ).

Bleeding heart liberal.

Blow it out your arse.

Blow it out your ear.

Blow your nose.

Body and soul.

Body bag.

Body blow.

Body building.

Body heat.

Body language.

Body mass index.

Body of evidence.

Body of opinion.

Body off Baywatch, face off Crimewatch.

Body politic.

Body popping.

Body snatcher.

Body surfing.

Bone head.

Bored stiff.

Born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

Bosom buddies.

Bosom pals.

Bottle and glass ( Cockney rhyming slang for arse ).

Bound hand and foot.

Bow the knee.

Bowel movement.

Brain bucket.

Brain candy.

Brain dead.

Brain drain.

Brain dump.

Brain fade.

Brain fart.

Brain picker.

Brain teaser.

Brain wave.

Break a leg.

Break your heart.

Break your neck.

Breathing down your neck.

Bring to a head.

Brothers in arms.

Bury your head in the sand.

Business at hand.

Butt head.

Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

Butterflies in my stomach.

Button your lip.

By heart.

By the hairs on my chinny chin chin, I'll blow your house down.

By the scruff of your neck.

Call to arms.

Can't make head or tail of it.

Can't see beyond the end of your nose.

Cap in hand.

Case the joint.

Cash in hand.

Caught with your hand in the cookie jar.

Caught with your hand in the till.

Cauliflower ear.

Chance your arm.

Change of heart.

Cheek by jowl.

Chin wag.

Chopped liver.

Clear your throat.

Clip joint.

Cock a leg.

Cock an ear.

Cold hands warm heart.

Cold shoulder.

Come the three corners of the world in arms.

Come to a head.

Condemned out of hand.

Contemplate my navel.

Cool Hand Luke ( Nickname of Luke Jackson ( Paul Newman ) ).

Cool Hand Luke ( Paul Newman movie ).

Cost an arm and a leg.

Couldn't make head or tail of it.

Cross my heart and hope to die.

Cross my palm with silver.

Cry from the heart.

Cry your heart out.

Curl your lip.

Cut off your nose to spite your face.

Cut throat competition.

Cut your own throat.

Dab hand at.

Dancing cheek to cheek.

Dead from the neck up.

Deep Throat ( Nickname of Mark Felt ).

Deep throat.

Didn't turn a hair.

Dip your toe into the water.

Do you kiss your mother with that mouth.

Do your head in.

Doesn't have a jealous bone in his body.

Doesn't know his arse from a hole in the ground.

Doesn't know his arse from his elbow.

Don't Go Breaking My Heart ( Elton John song-title ).

Don't get your tits in the wringer.

Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Don't mess with my head.

Don't trouble your pretty little head about it.

Down in the mouth.

Drink, feck, arse ( Father Ted ).

Dying on your arse.

Ear bashing.

Ear candy.

Ear for music.

Ear splitting.

Eat out of someone's hand.

Eat your heart out.

Elbow grease.

Elbow room.

Elbow to elbow.

Enough to make your hair curl.

Every picture tells a story ( Doanes Backache Kidney Pills advertising slogan ).

Extend the hand of friendship.

Eye of newt and toe of frog, wool of bat and tongue of dog.

Eyes in the back of your head.

Face palm moment.

Faint at heart.

Faint heart never won fair lady.

Fickle finger of fate.

Fifteen men on a dead man's chest.

Fight tooth and nail.

Find it in your heart.

Finger food.

Finger in many pies.

Finger lickin' good! ( KFC advertising slogan ).

Fish always rot from the head downwards.

Fish and finger pie ( Beatles' song lyric ).

Fleet of foot.

Flesh and blood.

Flesh out.

Foam at the mouth.

Fold your hand.

Follow your heart.

Follow your nose ( Froot Loops advertising slogan ).

Foot in mouth.

Foot in the door.

Foot the bill.

Force his hand.

Fountain head.

Free hand.

Frog in the throat.

From the bottom of my heart.

From top to toe.

Fruiting body.

Full bodied.

Full head of hair.

Funny in the head.

Game brain.

Garbage mouth.

Gentleman at arms.

Get in your hair.

Get it in the neck.

Get it into your head.

Get it off your chest.

Get off on the right foot.

Get off on the wrong foot.

Get off your arse.

Get out of hand.

Get out of my hair.

Get the upper hand.

Get to the heart of the matter.

Get up your nose.

Get your foot in the door.

Get your head around something.

Get your head down.

Get your head together.

Get your leg over.

Get your toe in the door.

Give a hand.

Give a leg up.

Give one's right arm for.

Give someone a bloody nose.

Give someone a thick ear.

Given the elbow.

Glass chin.

Go and boil your head.

Go boil your head.

Go cap in hand.

Go down on bended knee.

Go for the throat.

Go out on a limb.

Go the way of all flesh.

Go to your head.

Go-Go Gadget Arms ( Nickname of basketball player Kevin Garnett ).

Gone tits up.

Good head on his shoulders.

Got it on the brain.

Got to hand it to you.

Got your head screwed on.

Got your heart set on.

Grate on the ear.

Grease your palm.

Gregory Peck ( Cockney rhyming slang for neck ).

Grin from ear to ear.

Habeas corpus.

Hair Canada ( Nickname of basketball player Steve Nash ).

Hair color so natural only her hairdresser knows for sure ( Clairol advertising slogan ).

Hair of the dog.

Hair of the dog that bit you.

Hair pie.

Hair raising.

Hair shirt.

Hair today gone tomorrow.

Hair trigger.

Hand a line.

Hand in glove.

Hand in hand.

Hand in your notice.

Hand it on a plate.

Hand it over.

Hand job.

Hand me down.

Hand me downs.

Hand over.

Hand over fist.

Hand picked.

Hand to mouth.

Hang by the neck until dead.

Hang your head.

Hanging over your head.

Harden your heart against.

Hat in hand.

Have a hand in.

Have a heart.

Have it in hand.

Have someone's ear.

Have the stomach for.

Have your best interests at heart.

Have your hair stand on end.

Have your head examined.

He makes my flesh crawl.

He makes my flesh creep.

He wears his heart on his sleeve.

Head and shoulders above.

Head banger.

Head case.

Head count.

Head doctor.

Head first.

Head for figures.

Head for heights.

Head for the hills.

Head games.

Head honcho.

Head hunting.

Head in the clouds.

Head in the sand.

Head like a sieve.

Head of hair.

Head of steam.

Head of the family.

Head of the household.

Head off.

Head on.

Head on collision.

Head over heels in love.

Head start.

Head them off at the pass.

Head to head.

Head to toe.

Head up.

Head wind.

Heap coals of fire on someone's head.

Heart Of Gold ( Neil Young song-title ).

Heart and soul.

Heart attack on a plate.

Heart attack waiting to happen.

Heart of Dixie ( Nickname of the US state of Alabama ).

Heart of gold.

Heart of stone.

Heart rending.

Heart throb.

Heart to God, hand to man ( The Salvation Army advertising slogan ).

Heart to heart talk.

Heart warming.

Heart-warming experience.

Heavenly body.

Heavy Lunch ( Nickname of American football player Norman Hand ).

Helping hand.

Hit it on the nose.

Hit the nail on the head.

Hold a gun to his head.

Hold up your head.

Hold your head up high.

Hold your nose.

Holding your cards close to your chest.

Home is where the heart is.

Housemaid's knee.

How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child?.

Hungry Heart ( Bruce Springsteen song-title ).

I Want To Hold Your Hand ( Beatles' song-title ).

I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti ( The Silence of the Lambs ).

I could do that standing on my head.

I don't believe it ( One Foot In The Grave ).

I never knew you had dandruff ( Head and Shoulders shampoo advertising slogan ).

I was a seven stone weakling ( Charles Atlas slogan advertising slogan ).

I will wear my heart upon my sleeve.

I'll go to the foot of our stairs.

If I said you had a beautiful body would you hold it against me?.

If it ain't Stiff it ain't worth a fuck ( Stiff Records advertising slogan ).

If you can keep your head when all about you ( from a poem by Kipling ).

In Abraham's bosom.

In my heart of hearts.

In one ear and out the other.

In over your head.

In the arms of Morpheus.

In the flesh.

In the palm of your hand.

In the pit of your stomach.

In your hair.

Invasion of the Bodysnatchers.

Irritable bowel syndrome.

Is she or isn't she? ( Harmony hair spray advertising slogan ).

Is there anybody there?.

It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.

It's no skin off my nose.

Jog someone's elbow.

Jump down my throat.

Keep a civil tongue in your head.

Keep a cool head.

Keep a stiff upper lip.

Keep body and soul together.

Keep your chin up.

Keep your ear to the ground.

Keep your finger on the pulse.

Keep your hair on.

Keep your hand in.

Keep your head.

Keep your head above water.

Keep your head down.

Keep your mouth shut.

Keep your nose clean.

Keep your nose out of.

Keep your nose to the grindstone.

Keep your shoulder to the wheel.

Key to your heart.

Khyber pass ( Cockney rhyming slang for arse ).

Kill the fatted calf.

Knee deep in.

Knee high to a duck.

Knee high to a grasshopper.

Knee jerk reaction.

Knee trembler.

Knock it on the head.

Know by heart.

Know like the back of your hand.

Knuckle down to.

Knuckle head.

Knuckle sandwich.

Knuckle under.

Lame brain.

Laser Rocket Arm ( Nickname of Peyton Manning ).

Laugh your head off.

Lay a finger on.

Lay down your arms.

Lead by the nose.

Lead with the chin.

Learnt at your mother's knee.

Learnt off by heart.

Leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

Leg it.

Leg lamp.

Leg over.

Leg pull.

Leg up.

Lend a helping hand.

Lend an ear.

Let your hair down.

Level head.

Like a chicken with its head cut off.

Loaf of bread ( Cockney rhyming slang for head ).

Long in the tooth.

Look down your nose.

Look over your shoulder.

Lose your hair.

Lose your head.

Lose your heart.

Loud mouth.

M&Ms melt in your mouth, not in your hand ( M&Ms chocolate advertising slogan ).

Made to make your mouth water ( Opal Fruits advertising slogan ).

Make your head spin.

Makes your hair stands on end.

Mass hysteria.

Meat head.

Melt the heart.

Melts in the mouth.

Milk: It does a body good ( Milk Marketing Board advertising slogan ).

More power to your elbow.

More than flesh and blood can stand.

Mouth breather.

Mouth off.

Mouth to mouth.

Muscle bound.

Muscle in on.

Muscle man.

My Heart Will Go On ( Celine Dion song-title ).

My arse ( Royle Family ).

My head is spinning.

My heart bleeds.

My heart missed a beat.

My heart sank into my boots.

My heart went boom when I crossed that room ( Beatles' song lyric ).

My stomach thinks my throat's been cut.

Nasty taste in the mouth.

Nature, red in tooth and claw.

Navel gazing.

Near and dear to my heart.

Near the knuckle.

Near to one's heart.

Neck and crop.

Neck and neck.

Need your head examined.

Neither hide nor hair.

Nil by mouth.

Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger! ( Nestle's Butterfinger advertising slogan ).

North and south ( Cockney rhyming slang for mouth ).

Nose around.

Nose dive.

Nose for crime.

Nose for trouble.

Nose to tail.

Not right in the head.

Nothing to worry your pretty little head about.

Off hand.

Off the top of my head.

Off with his head.

Off your head.

Old head on young shoulders.

On a full stomach.

On bended knee.

On its ear.

On the back foot.

On the brain.

On the one hand.

On the other hand.

On the wrong foot.

On your own head be it.

One Foot In The Grave ( BBC comedy television series ).

One foot in the grave.

One hand tied behind your back.

One hand washes the other.

One toe over the line.

Only Love Can Break Your Heart ( Neil Young song-title ).

Open your big mouth.

Open your heart.

Out of your head.

Out on your ear.

Over my dead body.

Over the teeth and through the gums, look out stomach here it comes.

Over your head.

Pain in the arse.

Pain in the neck.

Palm Sunday.

Palm off.

Pay an arm and a leg.

Pay lip service to.

Pay through the nose.

Pecker head.

Penis Von Lesbian ( Nickname of actor Dick Van Dyke ).

Petrol head.

Pierce through the heart.

Pig's ear ( Cockney rhyming slang for beer ).

Play by ear.

Point the finger.

Pointy head.

Pot head.

Potty mouth.

Pound of flesh.

Powder your nose.

Press the flesh.

Price on his head.

Propeller head.

Puddin' Head ( Nickname of Colonel Sherman Potter ( Harry Morgan ) ).

Puddin' Head ( Nickname of Willie Jones ).

Pull your finger out.

Pull your hair out.

Pull your head in.

Put a foot wrong.

Put a gun to your head.

Put flesh on your bones.

Put it on the long finger.

Put one foot in front of the other.

Put some muscle into it.

Put words into someone's mouth.

Put your best foot forward.

Put your brain in gear.

Put your finger on it.

Put your finger on the button.

Put your foot down.

Put your foot in it.

Put your foot in your mouth.

Put your hand in your pocket.

Put your hand to the plough.

Put your head above the parapet.

Put your head into the lion's mouth.

Put your head on the block.

Put your money where your mouth is.

Put your nose out of joint.

Put your nose where its not wanted.

Puts hair on your chest.

Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head ( Burt Bacharach song-title ).

Raining In My Heart ( Buddy Holly song-title ).

Raise your hand if you're sure ( Sure advertising slogan ).

Right hand man.

Rock and boulder ( Cockney rhyming slang for shoulder ).

Rub someone's nose in it.

Rub your nose in it.

Run off at the mouth.

Scared stiff.

Serious as a heart attack.

Set foot in.

Set your hair on fire.

Set your heart on something.

Shake a leg.

Shift your arse.

Shoot your mouth off.

Shoot yourself in the foot.

Shot in the arm.

Shoulder responsibility.

Shoulder surf.

Shoulder to shoulder.

Shoulder to the grindstone.

Shove it down someone's throat.

Show a leg.

Show a little leg.

Show your hand.

Sick to the stomach.

Skeleton in the cupboard.

Skeleton key.

Skeleton staff.

Sleepy head.

Sleight of hand.

Smart arse.

Smiling from ear to ear.

Snap someone's head off.

Sob your heart out.

Soft in the head.

Stand it on its head.

Steal someone's heart.

Stick your chin out.

Stick your neck out.

Sticks in your throat.

Stiff competition.

Straight from the horse's mouth.

Straight from the shoulder.

Strengthen your hand.

Strong in the arm and thick in the head.

Strong stomach.

Sweet tooth.

Take These Chains From My Heart ( Ray Charles song-title ).

Take it into your head.

Take it on the chin.

Take it to heart.

Take the bread out of someone's mouth.

Take the words out of my mouth.

Take your hand in marriage.

Talk over your head.

Talk to the hand.

Talking head.

Tear your hair out.

Tell them about the honey, mummy ( Sugar Puffs advertising slogan ).

The Armpit Of California ( Nickname of Fresno California ).

The Armpit Of New Jersey ( Nickname of Newark New Jersey ).

The Body Guard ( Nickname of Baron Davis ).

The Head Ball Coach ( Nickname of Steve Spurrier ).

The Heart Of America ( Nickname of Kansas City Missouri ).

The Heart Of Europe ( Nickname of Prague Czech Republic ).

The Heart Of The New West ( Nickname of Calgary Alberta ).

The Lip ( Nickname of Leo Durocher and ).

The Liver Birds ( BBC comedy television series ).

The Louisville Lip.

The Louisville Lip ( Nickname of Muhammed Ali ).

The Man With The Golden Arm ( Frank Sinatra movie ).

The Palm Beach Story ( Claudette Colbert movie ).

The Palm Springs Of Washington ( Nickname of Yakima Washington ).

The Steel Heart Of The Republic ( Nickname of Ostrava Czech Republic ).

The Tell-Tale Heart.

The Toe ( Nickname of Lou Groza ).

The answer is at hand.

The body is still warm.

The body of evidence.

The boot is on the other foot.

The boot's on the other foot.

The hand is quicker than the eye.

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

The heart has its reasons.

The long arm of the law.

The matter in hand.

The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand ( M&M advertising slogan ).

The moving finger writes.

The moving finger writes; and, having writ, moves on ( from a poem by Fitzgerald ).

The right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.

The shoe's on the other foot.

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

The way of all flesh.

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

There are no pockets in a shroud.

There's many a slip twixt cup and lip.

Thick ear.

This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs. Any questions? ( The Partnership for a Drug-Free America advertising slogan ).

This neck of the woods.

Thorn in the flesh.

Three Finger ( Nickname of Mordecai Brown ).

Throw your arms in horror.

Thumb your nose.

Thumbnail sketch.

Tin ear.

Tits up.

To the heart of Seoul and beyond ( Asiana Airlines advertising slogan ).

Toe the line.

Tongue in cheek.

Tooth and nail.

Total Eclipse Of The Heart ( Bonnie Tyler song-title ).

Touch Your Heart ( Taiwan advertising slogan ).

Treasure chest.

Try your hand.

Turn the other cheek.

Turn to ashes in your mouth.

Turn your nose up at.

Turn your stomach.

Twist around your little finger.

Twist your arm.

Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.

Up in arms.

Up to your neck in trouble.

Upon your head be it.

Upper hand.

Van Gogh's ear for music.

Vital statistics.

Warms the cockles of my heart.

Wash your mouth out with soap and water.

Watch your mouth.

We found the weapons of mass destruction.

We know where the bodies are buried.

Weapons of mass destruction.

Wear your heart on your sleeve.

Well turned calf.

Wet the baby's head.

What a cheek.

What we have here is a failure to communicate ( line from Cool Hand Luke ).

Whip hand.

White knuckle ride.

Who's finger do you want on the trigger?.

Wild at heart.

Win by a head.

Win by a neck.

Win by a nose.

Wind your neck in.

With open arms.

With your nose in the air.

Without a leg to stand on.

Wooden Heart ( Elvis Presley song-title ).

Word in your ear.

Word of mouth.

Work the rabbit's foot on.

Wrapped around your little finger.

Yorkshire born in Yorkshire bred, strong in the arm and weak in the head.

You can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear.

You too can have a body like mine ( Charles Atlas advertising slogan ).

You would forget your head if it weren't screwed on.

You're all heart.

You're pulling my leg.

Young at heart.

Your Cheating Heart ( Hank Williams song-title ).

Your eyes are bigger than your stomach.

Zip your lip.

Gary Martin - the author of the phrases.org.uk website.

By Gary Martin

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Browse phrases beginning with:
 
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T UV W XYZ Full List