cut off your nose to spite your face
To harm yourself out of anger while trying to hurt someone else, ending up in a worse position.
Example: Quitting the whole team just to upset the coach would be cutting off your nose to spite your face.
C222 words · Proficient
Body Idioms vocabulary — C2
Body idioms for advanced, often literary description, with phrases like a bone of contention, keep a stiff upper lip and cheek by jowl.
22 questions
Words in this set
22let your hair down
To relax completely and enjoy yourself without worrying about being proper or formal.
Example:
After the exams, the students finally let their hair down at the party.
a bone of contention
A subject that causes ongoing disagreement between people.
Example:
Who does the dishes has always been a bone of contention in our house.
a slap in the face
An action that feels like a sudden, hurtful insult or rejection.
Example:
Being passed over for the promotion felt like a slap in the face.
a bone to pick
A complaint or grievance that you want to raise with someone directly.
Example:
I have a bone to pick with you about last night.
keep your nose clean
To stay out of trouble and behave well, avoiding anything illegal or dishonest.
Example:
After his release, he promised to keep his nose clean.
keep a stiff upper lip
To stay calm and hide your feelings, especially during a difficult or sad time.
Example:
British soldiers were expected to keep a stiff upper lip.
turn the other cheek
To respond peacefully to unkind treatment instead of getting angry or seeking revenge.
Example:
Instead of arguing back, she chose to turn the other cheek.
wet behind the ears
Young and without experience, still new to something.
Example:
He's talented, but still a bit wet behind the ears.
have a nose for something
To possess a natural talent for noticing or finding a particular kind of thing.
Example:
She has a nose for a good business deal.
an iron hand in a velvet glove
Firm control hidden behind a gentle manner.
Example:
She ran the department with an iron hand in a velvet glove.
a jaundiced eye
A view made unfair by bitterness or past experience.
Example:
He reads every proposal with a jaundiced eye.
a pound of flesh
Everything you are strictly owed, demanded without mercy.
Example:
The bank wanted a pound of flesh and got it.
gird your loins
To prepare yourself for something difficult.
Example:
Time to gird your loins and open the post.
at each other's throats
Arguing bitterly and constantly.
Example:
The two departments were at each other's throats by March.
in the teeth of
In spite of strong opposition or difficulty.
Example:
The plan went ahead in the teeth of every objection raised.
hand over fist
Very quickly and in large amounts, usually of money.
Example:
They were losing money hand over fist and still expanding.
a safe pair of ears
Someone you can tell something to in confidence.
Example:
Every office needs a safe pair of ears and rarely has one.
an eye for an eye
The principle that punishment should match the crime exactly.
Example:
The policy was an eye for an eye and it satisfied nobody.
a thick skin
The ability not to be hurt by criticism.
Example:
You need a thick skin to read the comments on anything.
cheek by jowl
Very close together.
Example:
Warehouses and cottages stand cheek by jowl all along that road.
the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak
You want to do something but lack the physical strength.
Example:
He signed up for the marathon, but the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
