100 Idioms about Health: Definitions of Health Idioms
Idioms about health show our experiences with wellness, highlighting both struggles and successes with phrases like “feeling blue” and “an apple a day.” This article shares 100 idioms that reveal how we talk about health, offering fun and insights into our lives.
Introduction to Idioms about Health
Health idioms are interesting phrases that express ideas about wellness and illness. They show how different cultures view health, including both physical and mental well-being. For example, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” suggests taking preventive care, not just eating fruit.
Looking at these phrases helps us understand how we relate to health and communicate about it. They shape how we think and act regarding diet and exercise. Knowing these sayings allows us to appreciate cultural views on wellness and encourages mindful living.
Common Idioms Related to Physical Health
1. Under the weather: Feeling sick
2. Fit as a fiddle: In great physical health
3. Back on your feet: Recovered from illness
4. Run down: Tired or unwell
5. Out of shape: Not physically fit
6. Drop like flies: Many people falling ill
7. Alive and kicking: In good health
8. As pale as a ghost: Very pale, looking sick
9. Kick the bucket: To die
10. Cough up: To pay money (or literally, to cough)
11. In the pink of health: In excellent health
12. Black out: To faint
13. Feel blue: Feel sad or depressed
14. In bad shape: In poor physical condition
15. Catch a cold: Get sick with a cold
16. Have a frog in one’s throat: Hoarseness or difficulty speaking
17. Come down with: Start to show symptoms of illness
18. Break out in a sweat: Start sweating from stress or fever
19. On the mend: Getting better
20. Pop your clogs: Die (informal)
21. Bite the dust: Die or fail
22. Take a turn for the worse: Health gets worse
23. At death’s door: Very ill or near death
24. Go under the knife: Have surgery
25. Laid up: Confined to bed due to illness
Idioms about Health Reflecting Mental Well-being
1. Lose your mind: Go crazy
2. Keep your cool: Stay calm
3. Crack under pressure: Lose mental control
4. Go bananas: Go crazy or act wild
5. In a fog: Mentally unclear
6. Out of your mind: Acting irrational
7. Not all there: Mentally unstable
8. Peace of mind: Mental calmness
9. Pull yourself together: Regain control over emotions
10. Stressed out: Extremely stressed
11. On edge: Anxious or nervous
12. Break down: Have a mental or emotional collapse
13. A nervous wreck: Very anxious
14. Hit the roof: Get very angry
15. Go off the deep end: Overreact emotionally
16. Bottle up feelings: Suppress emotions
17. A weight off your shoulders: Relief from stress
18. Snap out of it: Recover from a bad mental state
19. Lose your temper: Get angry quickly
20. At wit’s end: Feel confused or desperate
21. In high spirits: Very happy
22. Down in the dumps: Feeling depressed
23. In a good place: Mentally stable and content
24. Having a meltdown: Emotional collapse
25. Get something off your chest: Talk about something that’s bothering you
Idioms about Nutrition and Diet
1. An apple a day keeps the doctor away: Healthy habits prevent illness
2. You are what you eat: Food affects your health
3. Cut down on: Reduce intake
4. Pig out: Eat too much
5. Eat like a bird: Eat very little
6. Eat like a horse: Eat a lot
7. Bite off more than you can chew: Take on too much
8. To go on a crash diet: Drastic weight loss diet
9. Watch your figure: Be careful about weight
10. On a strict diet: Following a specific eating plan
11. Eat your heart out: Feel jealousy
12. Not my cup of tea: Not to one’s taste
13. Spill the beans: Reveal a secret
14. Bring home the bacon: Earn money
15. Eat humble pie: Admit you’re wrong
16. Have a lot on your plate: Have many responsibilities
17. Salt of the earth: A good and honest person
18. Cry over spilled milk: Worry about something you can’t change
19. The proof is in the pudding: Results show the truth
20. Eat clean: Eat healthy, unprocessed foods
21. Go cold turkey: Quit something suddenly (like sugar or junk)
22. Have a sweet tooth: Love sugary foods
23. Go nuts over: Really love something
24. In a pickle: In a difficult situation
25. Chew the fat: Chat or gossip
Idioms Related to Exercise and Fitness
1. Get in shape: Become fit
2. Pump iron: Lift weights
3. Break a sweat: Start exercising
4. Cool down: Relax after exercise
5. Warm up: Prepare before exercise
6. No pain, no gain: Hard work pays off
7. In the running: Have a chance of winning
8. Hit the gym: Go to the gym
9. Feel the burn: Feel muscle effort during exercise
10. Second wind: Renewed energy
11. Go the extra mile: Do more than expected
12. On the ball: Alert and fit
13. Step up your game: Improve your performance
14. Hit your stride: Perform consistently well
15. Run circles around: Be much better than someone
16. Jump through hoops: Do difficult things
17. Throw in the towel: Quit
18. Get the ball rolling: Start something
19. A level playing field: Equal conditions
20. Back in the saddle: Return after a break
21. Pull your weight: Do your share of work
22. Knock yourself out: Put in a lot of effort
23. Shape up or ship out: Improve or leave
24. Take it in stride: Handle challenges well
25. Go for the gold: Aim for the best
Most Commonly Used Health Idioms
1. Under the weather
Meaning: Feeling unwell or sick.
Example: I’m feeling a bit under the weather today, so I’ll stay home.
2. Fit as a fiddle
Meaning: In very good health.
Example: After recovering from the flu, he’s now fit as a fiddle.
3. On the mend
Meaning: Recovering from illness or injury.
Example: She had surgery last week but is on the mend now.
4. Kick the habit
Meaning: Stop a bad habit, especially smoking or unhealthy eating.
Example: He finally kicked the habit and gave up junk food.
5. Back on your feet
Meaning: Healthy or stable again after a setback.
Example: It took a few weeks, but I’m finally back on my feet.
6. In the pink (of health)
Meaning: In excellent physical condition.
Example: At 75, she’s still in the pink of health.
7. A bitter pill to swallow
Meaning: A difficult fact or situation to accept.
Example: Losing the job was a bitter pill to swallow.
8. Couch potato
Meaning: A person who is inactive and watches a lot of TV.
Example: You’ve been a couch potato all weekend—get up and move!
9. Go cold turkey
Meaning: Suddenly quit a habit (especially addictive ones).
Example: He went cold turkey on coffee last month.
10. Hang by a thread
Meaning: In a very risky or unstable condition (often emotional or health-related).
Example: After the accident, his life was hanging by a thread.
