Health and illness idioms

**Health Idioms:**

1. **In the best of health:**
– *Meaning:* To be in excellent physical condition.
– *Example:* Despite her age, Grandma is in the best of health and can still hike for miles.

2. **Picture of health:**
– *Meaning:* Someone who looks very healthy.
– *Example:* The athlete is a picture of health, with his muscular physique and energy.

3. **Hale and hearty:**
– *Meaning:* In robust health and full of energy.
– *Example:* After his recovery, he felt hale and hearty, ready to take on any challenge.

4. **As fit as a butcher’s dog:**
– *Meaning:* Extremely fit and healthy.
– *Example:* After his daily exercise routine, he’s as fit as a butcher’s dog.

5. **The pink of condition:**
– *Meaning:* In perfect health and shape.
– *Example:* She exercises regularly to stay in the pink of condition.

6. **In fine fettle:**
– *Meaning:* In good health and high spirits.
– *Example:* Despite the long journey, Sarah arrived in fine fettle and ready to explore the city.

**Illness Idioms:**

7. **Off-color:**
– *Meaning:* Not feeling well; slightly unwell.
– *Example:* Jane felt a bit off-color, so she decided to stay home from work.

8. **Down in the dumps:**
– *Meaning:* Feeling sad or depressed.
– *Example:* After the breakup, he was down in the dumps for a while.

9. **Under the weather:**
– *Meaning:* Feeling unwell or not in good health.
– *Example:* I’m not going to the party tonight; I’m under the weather and need some rest.

10. **Running on empty:**
– *Meaning:* Feeling exhausted or lacking energy.
– *Example:* After a long day at work, I feel like I’m running on empty.

11. **Burning the candle at both ends:**
– *Meaning:* Overworking or pushing oneself too hard, often leading to exhaustion.
– *Example:* He was burning the candle at both ends with his job and studies, and it took a toll on his health.

12. **Out of sorts:**
– *Meaning:* Feeling unwell or not quite oneself.
– *Example:* John seemed out of sorts today, perhaps because of a lack of sleep.

13. **Sick as a dog:**
– *Meaning:* Extremely ill or in a miserable state.
– *Example:* After eating the spoiled food, she was sick as a dog for days.

14. **Green around the gills:**
– *Meaning:* To look or feel nauseated.
– *Example:* The roller coaster ride left me feeling green around the gills.

15. **Have a frog in one’s throat:**
– *Meaning:* To have a hoarse or croaky voice, often due to a sore throat.
– *Example:* I can’t sing today; I have a frog in my throat.

16. **Off one’s food:**
– *Meaning:* To have a reduced or loss of appetite.
– *Example:* Ever since she got the flu, she’s been off her food.

17. **In the soup:**
– *Meaning:* In a difficult or troublesome situation.
– *Example:* After missing the deadline, he found himself in the soup at work.

18. **A taste of your own medicine:**
– *Meaning:* To experience something you have done to others, often negative or unpleasant.
– *Example:* After years of making fun of his friends, he got a taste of his own medicine when they played a prank on him.

19. **Go down like a lead balloon:**
– *Meaning:* To be received very badly or with disapproval.
– *Example:* His idea to cut the budget went down like a lead balloon in the meeting.

20. **Pull yourself together:**
– *Meaning:* To regain composure or control over one’s emotions.
– *Example:* After hearing the bad news, she told herself to pull herself together and face the situation.

21. **On the mend:**
– *Meaning:* Recovering from an illness or injury.
– *Example:* Thanks to the treatment, she’s on the mend and should be back to work soon.

22. **As sick as a parrot:**
– *Meaning:* To feel extremely disappointed or upset about something.
– *Example:* He was as sick as a parrot when his team lost in the final minutes of the game.

23. **Have one foot in the grave:**
– *Meaning:* To be very old or in extremely poor health.
– *Example:* At 95 years old, she jokes that she has one foot in the grave.

24. **On one’s last legs:**
– *Meaning:* In a very weak or near-fatal condition.
– *Example:* The marathon left me feeling like I was on my last legs, but I finished it.

25. **Drop like flies:**
– *Meaning:* To fall ill or die in large numbers, often due to an epidemic or harsh conditions.
– *Example:* During the flu season, people were dropping like flies.

26. **Cough up a lung:**
– *Meaning:* To cough very violently or persistently.
– *Example:* He was coughing up a lung after inhaling all that dust.

27. **Take a turn for the worse:**
– *Meaning:* To deteriorate or become more serious, especially regarding one’s health.
– *Example:* After a promising recovery, her condition took a turn for the worse.

28. **Jump out of one’s skin:**
– *Meaning:* To be extremely startled or surprised.
– *Example:* The loud noise made me jump out of my skin.

29. **Sick to one’s stomach:**
– *Meaning:* To feel nauseated or to vomit.
– *Example:* The bad seafood left me sick to my stomach for hours.

30. **Not have a leg to stand on:**
– *Meaning:* To lack a valid argument or evidence to support a claim.
– *Example:* In the debate, he didn’t have a leg to stand on when he couldn’t provide any evidence for his point.

**Health Idioms:**

1. **In seventh heaven:**
– *Meaning:* To be extremely happy and content.
– *Example:* After receiving the promotion, she was in seventh heaven.

2. **In the prime of life:**
– *Meaning:* In the period of life when one is at their physical and mental peak.
– *Example:* He’s in the prime of life, enjoying his career and hobbies.

3. **Full of beans:**
– *Meaning:* To be full of energy and enthusiasm.
– *Example:* The kids are full of beans, running around the park all day.

4. **Bouncing back:**
– *Meaning:* To recover quickly from an illness or setback.
– *Example:* Thanks to her strong immune system, she’s bouncing back from the flu in no time.

5. **Alive and kicking:**
– *Meaning:* To be very much alive and in good health.
– *Example:* Despite his age, he’s still alive and kicking, enjoying his retirement.

**Illness Idioms:**

6. **Off the rails:**
– *Meaning:* To go out of control or become uncontrollable, often referring to one’s health.
– *Example:* After months of neglecting his diet, his health went off the rails.

7. **Sick as a parrot:**
– *Meaning:* To feel extremely disappointed or upset about something.
– *Example:* She was sick as a parrot when she missed the opportunity of a lifetime.

8. **Queer the pitch:**
– *Meaning:* To spoil or disrupt a situation, often unintentionally.
– *Example:* His sudden illness queered the pitch for the family vacation.

9. **On the blink:**
– *Meaning:* Not functioning properly or in good health.
– *Example:* The car’s engine is on the blink again; it needs some repairs.

10. **Flat on one’s back:**
– *Meaning:* To be bedridden due to illness or injury.
– *Example:* After the surgery, she was flat on her back for a week.

11. **Down and out:**
– *Meaning:* Completely defeated or in a hopeless situation.
– *Example:* After losing his job and getting sick, he felt down and out.

12. **On one’s sickbed:**
– *Meaning:* Lying in bed due to illness.
– *Example:* While on her sickbed, she appreciated the get-well cards and flowers.

13. **Make someone’s blood run cold:**
– *Meaning:* To shock or frighten someone deeply.
– *Example:* The news of the accident made everyone’s blood run cold.

14. **Catch one’s death (of cold):**
– *Meaning:* To become seriously ill due to exposure to cold weather.
– *Example:* You should wear a coat; you don’t want to catch your death of cold out there.

15. **Bite the dust:**
– *Meaning:* To fail or be defeated, often with a sense of finality.
– *Example:* After a long battle, the competitor had to bite the dust.

16. **Breathe one’s last:**
– *Meaning:* To die or take one’s final breath.
– *Example:* After a long and fulfilling life, she breathed her last surrounded by her loved ones.

17. **Be at death’s door:**
– *Meaning:* To be on the verge of death due to illness or injury.
– *Example:* When she was diagnosed with a severe illness, she was at death’s door, but she managed to recover.

18. **A shadow of one’s former self:**
– *Meaning:* To be much weaker or less healthy than one used to be.
– *Example:* After months of illness, he was a shadow of his former self.

19. **Like a cat on a hot tin roof:**
– *Meaning:* To be nervous, anxious, or restless.
– *Example:* She was like a cat on a hot tin roof before her big presentation.

20. **Carry the can:**
– *Meaning:* To take the blame or responsibility for something, often unfairly.
– *Example:* Despite being innocent, he had to carry the can for the team’s mistakes.

These idioms capture a range of situations related to health, illness, and emotional states, making conversations more colorful and expressive.

Here’s the list of health and illness idioms along with their meanings:

**Health Idioms:**
1. **As strong as an ox:**
– *Meaning:* To be exceptionally physically strong and healthy.
2. **Bursting with health:**
– *Meaning:* To be in a state of robust health and vitality.
3. **In the pink of health:**
– *Meaning:* To be in excellent health, feeling great.
4. **Right as rain:**
– *Meaning:* To be perfectly healthy and in good condition.
5. **Shipshape and Bristol fashion:**
– *Meaning:* To be in a very good and organized condition.
6. **Full of the joys of spring:**
– *Meaning:* To be extremely cheerful, energetic, and lively.
7. **As fit as a fiddle:**
– *Meaning:* To be in excellent physical condition.
8. **Strong as a horse:**
– *Meaning:* To be exceptionally strong and healthy.
9. **Hale as an oak:**
– *Meaning:* To be very healthy and robust.
10. **Healthy as a horse:**
– *Meaning:* To be in very good health.
11. **The picture of good health:**
– *Meaning:* To appear extremely healthy and well.
12. **Fighting fit:**
– *Meaning:* To be in top physical condition, ready for any challenge.
13. **As healthy as a horse:**
– *Meaning:* To be in great health.
14. **Sound as a bell:**
– *Meaning:* To be in excellent physical or mental condition.
15. **Fit as a bull:**
– *Meaning:* To be very strong and healthy.
16. **In the bloom of youth:**
– *Meaning:* To be young and in perfect health.
17. **In fine feather:**
– *Meaning:* To be in excellent health and spirits.
18. **Fit as a trout:**
– *Meaning:* To be in great physical shape.
19. **As fit as a flea:**
– *Meaning:* To be in superb health.
20. **The picture of physical fitness:**
– *Meaning:* To appear very healthy and physically fit.

**Illness Idioms:**
1. **Hit rock bottom:**
– *Meaning:* To reach the lowest point, often in terms of health or well-being.
2. **In deep water:**
– *Meaning:* In a difficult or challenging situation, often associated with illness or trouble.
3. **In troubled waters:**
– *Meaning:* In a situation with difficulties or problems, typically related to health or well-being.
4. **Up the creek without a paddle:**
– *Meaning:* In a difficult or hopeless situation, often associated with illness or trouble.
5. **Walking on thin ice:**
– *Meaning:* Engaging in risky or precarious behavior, often related to health or well-being.
6. **Between a rock and a hard place:**
– *Meaning:* Facing a dilemma or being in a difficult situation, often linked to health or other challenges.
7. **A bitter pill to swallow:**
– *Meaning:* Something unpleasant or difficult to accept, like bad news about one’s health.
8. **The last straw:**
– *Meaning:* The final problem or irritation that makes a situation intolerable, often related to health or well-being.
9. **Adding insult to injury:**
– *Meaning:* Making a bad situation worse, often in the context of health or well-being.
10. **The final nail in the coffin:**
– *Meaning:* The last event that leads to the complete downfall or failure, often related to health or other issues.
11. **A tough nut to crack:**
– *Meaning:* A difficult problem or challenge, often associated with health or recovery.
12. **A sinking ship:**
– *Meaning:* A situation or project that is failing or in decline, often related to health or other issues.
13. **Going down in flames:**
– *Meaning:* Experiencing a spectacular and often disastrous failure, frequently associated with health or well-being.
14. **A sinking feeling:**
– *Meaning:* A sense of impending trouble or failure, often linked to health or other problems.
15. **A bitter end:**
– *Meaning:* A sad or unfortunate conclusion to a situation, sometimes in the context of health or well-being.
16. **The beginning of the end:**
– *Meaning:* The initial sign or event that leads to the decline of a situation, often related to health or other issues.
17. **A poisoned chalice:**
– *Meaning:* A difficult or undesirable situation or responsibility, often related to health or well-being.
18. **A hard row to hoe:**
– *Meaning:* A difficult or challenging task or situation, often associated with health or recovery.
19. **A tough cookie:**
– *Meaning:* A person who is strong, resilient, and able to withstand adversity, often related to health or other issues.
20. **Throwing good money after bad:**
– *Meaning:* Continuing to invest in a losing or hopeless situation, often in the context of health or other problems.

These idioms reflect a range of health and illness-related scenarios and can add depth and expressiveness to conversations.