Body idioms

12 body idioms with what each one means. Tap one for its origin, examples and a quick check.

An eye for an eye
An eye for an eye is the idea that someone who causes harm should be punished with the same harm in return.
Armed to the teeth
If someone is armed to the teeth, they are carrying a lot of weapons. Figuratively, it means fully prepared or equipped.
Bite your tongue
If you bite your tongue, you stop yourself from saying something you want to say, usually to avoid causing trouble.
By the skin of your teeth
If you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just manage it, with almost no margin to spare.
Cost an arm and a leg
If something costs an arm and a leg, it is extremely expensive, often more than seems reasonable.
Elbow grease
Elbow grease means hard physical effort, especially when cleaning, scrubbing or polishing something by hand.
Keep an eye on
To keep an eye on someone or something is to watch them carefully, often to keep them safe or notice any change.
Keep your eyes peeled
To keep your eyes peeled means to watch carefully and stay alert so you notice something.
Pay through the nose
To pay through the nose is to pay much more than something is worth or more than is fair.
Play it by ear
To play it by ear is to decide what to do as things happen, instead of making a fixed plan ahead of time.
Tongue in cheek
If something is said tongue in cheek, it is meant as a joke or with gentle irony, not seriously.
Turn a blind eye
If you turn a blind eye to something, you pretend not to notice it, usually something wrong that you should deal with.

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