The Language of Love: Idioms
How do you show someone that you love them? Is it more with actions or with your words? This Valentine’s Day, it’ll be hard to miss all the symbols of love around us. Whether it is on a billboard or in a greeting card, love-themed idioms are more commonly used than you might realize.
If you’re just learning English, it helps to take some time to examine the everyday idioms that you might come across and understand what they mean. This week, we’re exploring the idioms of love, giving you more ways to express the way you feel about the people in your life. Take a look and see how many you’ve seen before and how many are completely new to you!
Head over heels
Meaning: When you “fall head over heels” for someone it means that you are falling completely and totally in love with them. This is usually used to describe an intense and immediate sort of love.
Heart-throb
Meaning: A “heart-throb” is someone who many people find attractive. This might be used to describe a popular actor or musician with many female fans.
Lovebirds
Meaning: This usually refers to two people that are very obviously in love. Much like the birds of the same name, these people are overly affectionate and spend all of their time together.
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Puppy love
Meaning: “Puppy love” refers to a youthful romance. Mostly, it is used to describe teenagers or adolescents, although some adults can behave in a similar childish way when they are in love.
Take someone’s breath away
Meaning: This describes the feeling that you get when you are amazed by the way someone looks or acts. Although you aren’t literally gasping for air, you may feel, temporarily, lightheaded due to excitement.
Tie the knot
Meaning: When someone “ties the knot,” they are getting married. This is a very casual way to refer to the act of marriage.
Test your knowledge
How many of these idioms do you think you can use correctly in your everyday English? Take our quiz and see how well you do!
Did any of these idioms surprise you? Have you heard of any others? Let us know in the comments below.
