Idioms and Expressions: Middle School: Idioms and Expressions, List 3

This list focuses on idioms and expressions that relate to bodies and body parts.
10 words 63 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. body and soul
    with complete faith
    They lived for each other, body and soul. Night
  2. single-handed
    unsupported by other people
    Anatole speaks French and English both, and single-handedly runs the school all by himself. The Poisonwood Bible
  3. in cold blood
    in an insensitive, unemotional manner
    But she was upset by the idea of killing the rabbit in cold blood. Watership Down: A Novel
  4. half-hearted
    feeling or showing little interest or enthusiasm
    He made a half-hearted attempt to catch up, then slowed down, turned and made off in the opposite direction. 1984
  5. secondhand
    by indirect means
    “I experienced a lot of secondhand embarrassment, which I think is worse than firsthand embarrassment,” she said. Washington Post (Dec 23, 2020)
  6. at first hand
    from the original source; directly
    After all, they were not designed to be seen at first hand, but through a lens, on a screen. The Guardian (Oct 12, 2012)
  7. cold shoulder
    a refusal to recognize someone you know
    I was prepared for his wrath, but the cold shoulder stings more. Love, Hate & Other Filters
  8. cold feet
    timidity preventing the continuation of a course of action
    When we were almost next, the little girl in front of us got cold feet about going down the tall slide, so she turned around to let us pass. Auggie & Me
  9. neck and neck
    even or close in a race or competition or comparison
    He was still neck and neck with the other kid. Patina
  10. blue blood
    a member of the aristocracy or upper class
    On paper, Close is of a similar pedigree to Katharine Hepburn: an, educated, East Coast blue blood from a wealthy, well-connected family. The Guardian (Nov 6, 2015)
Created on Tue Jun 03 13:37:46 EDT 2025

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