Idioms

bang/knock your/their heads together

1. (informal) to force people to stop arguing and behave in a sensible wayTopics Opinion and argumentc2

be banging, etc. your head against a brick wall

1. (informal) to keep trying to do something that will never be successful
   • Trying to reason with them was like banging my head against a brick wall.
   Topics Difficulty and failurec2

be/stand head and shoulders above somebody/something

1. to be much better than other people or things
   • His performance stood head and shoulders above the rest.

bite/snap somebody’s head off

1. (informal) to shout at somebody in an angry way, especially without reason

bring something to a head | come to a head

1. if you bring a situation to a head or if a situation comes to a head, you are forced to deal with it quickly because it suddenly becomes very bad
   • The chairman's resignation finally brought matters to a head.
   • The dispute finally came to a head in March that year.
   • Things came to a head when several of the nurses made a formal complaint.

bury/hide your head in the sand

1. to refuse to admit that a problem exists or refuse to deal with it

can’t make head nor/or tail of something

1. to be unable to understand something
   • I couldn't make head nor tail of what he was saying.

do somebody’s head in

1. (British English, informal) to make somebody feel confused, upset and/or annoyed
   • Shut up! You're doing my head in.
   Topics Personal qualitiesc2

do something standing on your head

1. (informal) to be able to do something very easily and without having to think too much

drum something into somebody’s head

(also drum something into somebody)

1. to make somebody remember something by repeating it a lot of times

from head to foot/toe

1. covering your whole body
   • We were covered from head to foot in mud.
   • She was dressed from head to toe in red.

get your head down (informal)

1. (British English) to sleep
   • I managed to get my head down for an hour.
2. (also keep your head down)
   to avoid attracting attention to yourself

get your head round something

1. (British English, informal) to be able to understand or accept something
   • She's dead. I can't get my head round it yet.

get it into your head (that…)

1. to start to understand or think something
   • When will you get it into your head that I don't want to discuss this any more!
   • For some reason she's got it into her head that I don't like her.

give somebody their head

1. to allow somebody to do what they want without trying to stop them

give somebody ideas | put ideas into somebody’s head

1. to give somebody hopes about something that may not be possible or likely; to make somebody act or think in an unreasonable way
   • Who's been putting ideas into his head?

go head to head (with somebody)

1. to deal with somebody in a very direct and determined way
   • The company will be going head to head with the giant of the pharmaceuticals market.

go to somebody’s head

1. (of alcohol) to make you feel drunk
   • That glass of wine has gone straight to my head.
2. (of success, praise, etc.) to make you feel too proud of yourself in a way that other people find annoying

have eyes in the back of your head

1. to be aware of everything that is happening around you, even things that seem difficult or impossible to see
   • You can’t get away with anything in her class. She has eyes in the back of her head.

have a good head on your shoulders

1. to be a sensible person

have a head for something

1. to be good at something
   • to have a head for figures/business
2. if somebody does not have a head for heights, they feel nervous and think they are going to fall when they look down from a high place

have your head/nose in a book

1. to be reading
   • She always has her nose in a book.

have your head in the clouds

1. to be thinking about something that is not connected with what you are doing
2. to have ideas, plans, etc. that are not realistic

have your head screwed on (the right way)

1. (informal) to be a sensible person

have a roof over your head

1. to have somewhere to live
   • Thanks to Bob’s generosity, I still have a roof over my head.

a/per head

1. for each person
   • The meal worked out at $20 a head.
   Topics Moneyc1

head first

1. moving forwards or downwards with your head in front of the rest of your body
   • He fell head first down the stairs.
2. without thinking carefully about something before acting synonym headlong
   • She got divorced and rushed head first into another marriage.

your head is spinning | make your head spin

1. your head feels as though it is going round and round and you cannot balance, especially because you are ill or confused or have had a shock; to make you feel like this
   • Her head was spinning from the pain.
   • His theories on economics are enough to make your head spin.

head over heels in love

1. loving somebody very much
   • He's fallen head over heels in love with his boss.
   Topics Feelingsc2

heads or tails?

1. used to ask somebody which side of a coin they think will be facing upwards when it is tossed in order to decide something by chance

heads will roll (for something)

1. (informal, usually humorous) used to say that some people will be punished because of something that has happened

hit the nail on the head

1. to say something that is exactly right

hold/put a gun to somebody’s head

1. to force somebody to do something that they do not want to do, by making threats

hold your head high | hold up your head

1. to be proud of or not feel ashamed about something that you have done
   • She managed to hold her head high and ignore what people were saying.

I’ll knock your block/head off!

1. (informal) used to threaten somebody that you will hit them

in over your head

1. involved in something that is too difficult for you to deal with
   • After a week in the new job, I soon realized that I was in over my head.

keep your head | keep a clear/cool head

1. to remain calm in a difficult situation
   • She needed to keep a clear head if she was to remain in control.

keep your head above water

1. to deal with a difficult situation, especially one in which you have financial problems, and just manage to survive
   • I’m not sure how much longer we’ll be able to keep our heads above water.

keep/get your head down

1. to avoid attracting attention to yourself
   • If I were you, I’d keep your head down for a couple of weeks.

laugh your head off

1. (informal) to laugh very loudly and for a long time

laugh, scream, etc. your head off

1. (informal) to laugh, etc. a lot and very loudly

let your heart rule your head

1. to act according to what you feel rather than to what you think is sensible

like a bear with a sore head

1. in a bad mood; in an angry way
   • I should keep out of his way. He’s like a bear with a sore head this morning.

lose your head

1. to become unable to act in a calm or sensible way

need (to have) your head examined

1. (informal) to be crazyTopics Personal qualitiesc2

not bother yourself/your head with/about something

1. (especially British English) to not spend time/effort on something, because it is not important or you are not interested in it

not harm/touch a hair of somebody’s head

1. to not hurt somebody physically in any way

off the top of your head

1. (informal) just guessing or using your memory, without taking time to think carefully or check the facts
   • I can't remember the name off the top of my head, but I can look it up for you.
   Topics Doubt, guessing and certaintyc2

(have) an old head on young shoulders

1. used to describe a young person who acts in a more sensible way than you would expect for a person of their age

on your (own) head be it

1. used to tell somebody that they will have to accept any unpleasant results of something that they decide to do
   • Tell him the truth if you want to, but on your own head be it!

out of/off your head (British English, informal)

1. crazy
2. not knowing what you are saying or doing because of the effects of alcohol or drugs

over somebody’s head

1. too difficult or complicated for somebody to understand
   • A lot of the jokes went (= were) right over my head.
2. to a higher position of authority than somebody
   • I couldn't help feeling jealous when she was promoted over my head.
   • I’m not happy that you went over my head to ask for this time off.

a price on somebody’s head

1. an amount of money that is offered for capturing or killing somebody
   • Ever since he killed the gang’s leader, there has been a price on his head.

put/lay your head/neck on the block

1. to risk losing your job, damaging your reputation, etc. by doing or saying something
   • It's not a matter that I'm prepared to put my head on the block for.

put our/your/their heads together

1. to think about or discuss something as a group

something rears its (ugly) head

1. if something unpleasant rears its head or rears its ugly head, it appears or happens

ring in your ears/head

1. to make you feel that you can still hear something
   • His warning was still ringing in my ears.

scratch your head (over something)

1. to think hard in order to find an answer to something
   • Experts have been scratching their heads over the increase in teenage crime.

stand/turn something on its head

1. to make people think about something in a completely different way

stick in your head/mind

1. (of a memory, an image, etc.) to be remembered for a long time
   • One of his paintings in particular sticks in my mind.

take it into your head that…

1. to suddenly start thinking something, especially something that other people think is stupid

take it into your head to do something

1. to suddenly decide to do something, especially something that other people think is stupid

a thick head

1. (informal) a physical condition in which your head is painful or you cannot think clearly as a result of an illness or of drinking too much alcohol
   • You’re going to have a thick head in the morning!

turn somebody’s head

1. (of success, praise, etc.) to make a person feel too proud in a way that other people find annoying

two heads are better than one

1. (saying) used to say that two people can achieve more than one person working aloneTopics Successc2

use your head

(British English also use your loaf)

1. (informal) used to tell somebody to think about something, especially when they have asked for your opinion or said something stupid
   • ‘Why don't you want to see him again?’ ‘Oh, use your head!’