Practice
Body-part idioms in English: figurative meaning in context
Sign in to saveIf a friend says a concert ticket cost an arm and a leg, the friend still has both arms and legs. The phrase tells you that the ticket was very expensive.
Recognize five common body-part idioms and use the situation to understand and choose their figurative meanings.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
Could you lend a hand? /kʊd juː lend ə hænd/
The short answer
Body-part idioms use a body word to express another idea. Keep an eye on means watch carefully, lend a hand means help, get cold feet means become too nervous to continue, cost an arm and a leg means be very expensive, and have a heart of gold means be very kind.
Could you keep an eye on my bag while I buy a ticket?
Why it works: The speaker asks for careful watching, not for a literal action involving an eye.
5 more examples
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Please keep an eye on the soup while I answer the door.
The speaker asks someone to watch the soup carefully for a short time.
Not this:The doctor examined Maya's
eyeafter the accident. What changes: Eye refers to part of Maya's body, so the meaning is literal. -
Can you lend a hand with these boxes?
The speaker asks for help carrying or moving the boxes.
Not this:The statue held a bronze
handabove its head. What changes: Hand names an object shaped like a hand, not help. -
Nadia got cold feet before the audition and went home.
Nadia became too nervous or doubtful to take part.
Not this:After walking through the snow, Nadia's
feet were cold. What changes: This describes a physical temperature, not hesitation. -
That repair cost an arm and a leg.
The repair was extremely expensive.
Not this:The sleeve covers her
arm and the boot covers her leg. What changes: The sentence names real body parts. -
Mr Patel has a heart of gold and often helps new neighbours.
Mr Patel is being described as very kind and generous.
Not this:The jeweller showed us a
gold hearton a silver chain. What changes: This is a piece of jewellery with a literal heart shape.
Read the full guide
Start with the event around the idiom. Is someone asking for help, watching something, changing their mind because of nerves, talking about a high price, or praising a kind person? The event gives the expression its figurative meaning. A literal reading only works when the sentence is actually about a body part.
Look for the speaker's situation
An idiom has a meaning as a complete phrase. The body word may make the phrase memorable, but it does not give you the whole message. Check what the speaker needs, feels, or describes before deciding what the idiom means.
My neighbour asked me to keep an eye on her bicycle.
She wants the bicycle watched carefully while she is away.
The optician checked my eye with a bright light.
Here eye has its ordinary body-part meaning.
Does keep an eye on usually mean touch something with an eye?
No. It means watch something carefully.
Ask for help with lend a hand
Use lend a hand to ask for help or offer help. The help can be physical, such as moving chairs, or practical, such as preparing for an event. The phrase is polite and natural in everyday conversation.
Would you lend a hand while we set up the room?
The speaker asks the listener to help with the work.
I can lend a hand after I finish this call.
The speaker offers assistance at a later time.
Which phrase can you use when a colleague needs help with a heavy parcel?
You can say, Let me lend a hand.
Watch carefully with keep an eye on
Keep an eye on means watch a person, thing, or situation carefully. It often suggests that something may change or needs attention. You can use it for a child, a pet, food on a cooker, a bag, a score, or an important message.
Keep an eye on the oven while the bread is baking.
The listener should watch the oven so the food does not burn.
I keep an eye on the weather before a long walk.
The speaker checks the weather because it may affect the plan.
What does a parent mean by keep an eye on the toddler?
The parent means watch the toddler carefully.
Describe nervous hesitation with get cold feet
Get cold feet means become too nervous or uncertain to do something that you had planned to do. It often happens shortly before an important moment. The phrase does not say that the person is weak; it describes a change in confidence.
Elias got cold feet before asking for a promotion.
Elias became nervous and did not feel ready to ask.
She got cold feet just before the diving lesson.
She hesitated because she felt afraid or unsure.
What happened if somebody got cold feet before signing up for a race?
They became nervous or uncertain about taking part.
Use cost an arm and a leg for a very high price
Cost an arm and a leg means cost a very large amount of money. It is deliberately exaggerated, so it works best in informal conversation. Use it to react to a price, then give the actual amount if accuracy matters.
A taxi from the airport cost an arm and a leg at midnight.
The speaker thinks the taxi fare was extremely high.
Replacing the broken screen cost an arm and a leg.
The repair was much more expensive than expected.
Would cost an arm and a leg be suitable in a formal invoice?
No. State the exact price in a formal invoice.
Praise kindness with have a heart of gold
Say that somebody has a heart of gold when you want to praise their kindness and generosity. The phrase focuses on a person's character, not on one small favour. It sounds warm and personal, so choose it for sincere praise rather than a formal assessment.
Amina has a heart of gold; she checks on the older people in her street.
The speaker praises Amina's regular kindness toward neighbours.
Everyone says the coach has a heart of gold.
People see the coach as deeply kind and generous.
What quality does heart of gold praise?
It praises a person's kindness and generosity.
Before you go
Remember this
Read the situation before you interpret a body-part idiom. Keep an eye on means watch carefully. Lend a hand means help. Get cold feet means lose confidence before doing something. Cost an arm and a leg means be very expensive. Have a heart of gold means be very kind.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Body-part idioms in English: figurative meaning in context"
What does keep an eye on mean?
Keep an eye on means watch a person, thing, or situation carefully. You might use it for food that is cooking, a bag in a public place, or a child who needs attention.
Please keep an eye on the soup while I answer the door.
Is lend a hand the same as help?
Yes. Lend a hand is an informal, friendly way to say help or offer assistance. It can refer to moving something, preparing an event, or helping with a practical task.
The doctor examined Maya's eye after the accident.
When do people say get cold feet?
People say get cold feet when someone becomes nervous or doubtful just before an important action. It can describe hesitation before a performance, a decision, a journey, or another planned event.
Can you lend a hand with these boxes?
Does cost an arm and a leg mean an exact price?
No. Cost an arm and a leg is an informal exaggeration for something that feels very expensive. Use the actual amount when a precise price is needed.
The statue held a bronze hand above its head.
What does have a heart of gold say about a person?
Have a heart of gold praises somebody who is especially kind and generous. It is warm personal praise and is more natural in conversation than in a formal evaluation.
Nadia got cold feet before the audition and went home.