Idioms — Set 11

Set 11 of Idioms covers 5 idioms: have butterflies in your stomach, have had it up to here, give someone the creeps, get carried away, from the bottom of your heart. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

1. have butterflies in your stomach · idiom/ˈbʌɾɚflaɪz ɪn jʊr ˈstʌmək/

   to feel anxious

   Even though she has been a public speaker for almost eight years, Sarah had butterflies in her stomach before she gave her speech today.

   Origin: From the 1900s — describes the fluttering sensation of nerves felt in the abdomen before stressful events.

2. have had it up to here · idiom/hæv ɪt ʌp tu hɪr/

   to become extremely frustrated and annoyed because something has happened several times

   Mariah has had it up to here with people who talk big but do not do much work.

   Origin: An American expression from the mid-1900s, often gestured by raising a hand to the throat or head to show frustration.

3. give someone the creeps · idiom/ɡɪv ˈsʌmwʌn ðə krips/

   to make someone frightened

   Edgar Allan Poe's stories always gives me the creeps but I still keep reading them.

   Origin: Coined by Charles Dickens in David Copperfield (1849) — 'creeps' captures the crawling skin sensation of unease.

4. get carried away · idiom/ɡɛt ˈkæriɪd əˈweɪ/

   to get too excited about something and lose control

   Carry was going to buy a few decorative plants for her house but she got carried away and spent all her money.

   Origin: From the 1700s — used the metaphor of being physically transported away from rational behavior by emotion.

5. from the bottom of your heart · idiom/frəm ðə ˈbɑɾəm əv jʊr hɑrt/

   truly; sincerely

   Jackie said that she appreciated my help but I was not sure if she was saying it from the bottom of her heart.

   Origin: From the ancient idea of the heart as the deepest seat of emotion — sincerity flows from its lowest point.