Head Idioms

Head idioms are a fascinating element of the English language. You will find that these idioms use the word “head” in many ways to express different ideas, often with meanings that go beyond the literal sense of the word. In this reference, you will explore some of the most common head idioms and their meanings.

By understanding these phrases, you can enhance your grasp of English expressions and enrich your communication skills.

Head Idioms List

Head Idioms
Head Idioms – Created by 7ESL
  • Bury (Hide) One’s Head In the Sand
  • Head and Shoulders Above
  • Head start
  • Heads Up (excl.)
  • Heads Will Roll (Are Going to Roll)
  • Off the Top of My Head
  • Over One’s Head
  • Rear Its Ugly Head (said of a problem or something unpleasant)
  • Turn Something on Its Head
  • Use One’s Head

Head Idioms with Meaning and Examples

Bury (Hide) One’s Head In the Sand

  • Meaning: Ignoring something that’s obviously wrong, not facing reality.
  • Example: You can bury your head in the sand if you want to, but Bruce is stealing, and sooner or later we’re going to have to deal with it.

Head and Shoulders Above

  • Meaning: Much better than someone or something else.
  • Example: John is head and shoulders above the other candidates for the job.

Head start

  • Meaning: An early start or advantage.
  • Example: We got a head start on the project, so we should be finished before the deadline.

Heads Up (excl.)

  • Meaning: A warning to pay attention.
  • Example: Heads up! There’s a big pothole in the road ahead.

Heads Will Roll (Are Going to Roll)

  • Meaning: People will be punished or fired for a mistake or failure.
  • Example: If we don’t meet the deadline, heads will roll.

Off the Top of My Head

  • Meaning: Without thinking too much about it, from memory.
  • Example: Off the top of my head, I’d say there were about 50 people at the party.

Over One’s Head

  • Meaning: Too difficult to understand.
  • Example: The lecture on quantum physics was way over my head.

Rear Its Ugly Head (said of a problem or something unpleasant)

  • Meaning: To appear again after being gone for a while.
  • Example: The issue of racism has reared its ugly head again in our society.

Turn Something on Its Head

  • Meaning: To completely change something.
  • Example: We need to turn the company’s marketing strategy on its head if we want to increase sales.

Use One’s Head

  • Meaning: To think carefully and logically.
  • Example: You need to use your head if you want to solve this problem.

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