Lose Face, See Eye to Eye | Some Common Idioms
Here are some common idiomatic expressions in English with their meanings and example sentences.
Lose face
To lose face is to be humiliated.
- He lost face when they proved that his claims were false.
Keep an eye on somebody / something or have an eye on somebody / something
To keep an eye on somebody/something is to watch them closely.
- Please keep an eye on the baby when I am away.
- I have asked my neighbour to keep an eye on my house while I am on vacation.
- He had his eye on my mobile phone.
- The mother kept an eye on her kids as they played in the water.
Have a finger in every pie
When you have a finger in every pie you are involved in many different activities. This expression has negative connotations.
- You can’t do anything without consulting the supervisor. He has a finger in every pie.
Up to one’s neck in something
When you are up to your neck in something, you are immersed in it. You can also say ‘up to your ears / eyeballs in something’.
- I can’t come to the movies. I am up to my neck in work.
- He is up to his neck in debt.
Not have a leg to stand on
This expression is used to suggest that you have no support.
- I didn’t sue my employer because my lawyer said that I didn’t have a leg to stand on.
Go over head
When you go over somebody’s head, you deal with someone at a level higher than them.
- He went over his supervisor’s head and complained to the manager.
When something goes over your head, you fail to understand it.
- The joke went over my head. (= I couldn’t understand it.)
- Theories like those simply go over my head.
Go to one’s head
If something goes to your head, it makes you dizzy or drunk.
- Vine always goes to her head.
This expression has another meaning. If something goes to your head, it makes you proud.
- All this success is going to her head.
See eye to eye
When you see eye to eye with someone, you agree with them.
She and her husband never see eye to eye about their children.
He doesn’t see eye to eye with his mother-in-law.
My parents and I see eye to eye on most things.
Although we don’t see eye to eye on a lot of things, I love her.
