Idiom
Head over heels
If you are head over heels in love, you are completely, often suddenly, in love with someone.
How people use it
The most common forms are "head over heels in love" and "fall head over heels for someone." The phrase describes strong, excited feelings, usually at the start of a romance. It can also describe great enthusiasm for something else, such as a new hobby or a pet. An older, literal sense is still used too: tumbling head over heels down a hill means rolling over and over. The tone is informal and warm. People sometimes notice the phrase seems backward, since your head is normally above your heels anyway.
Also said: head over heels in love, fall head over heels.
Examples
- Ana fell head over heels for a musician she met on a train.
- By the end of the summer, they were head over heels in love.
- My nephew is head over heels about his new skateboard.
Where it comes from
The original form, used in the 1300s, was "heels over head," meaning upside down or turning a somersault, which made literal sense. By the late 1700s the words had flipped to "head over heels," even though that simply describes standing normally. The love sense came in the 1800s, from the idea of being turned upside down by strong feelings.
Check yourself
1. If Ben is head over heels for Grace, how does he feel?
Answer: Deeply in love with her. Head over heels describes being completely in love.
2. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Answer: The twins fell head over heels for the farm cats on the first day.. The idiom shows strong love or delight, here for the cats.
Similar idioms
Word game fan? See every word hiding in HEELS.