HENRI COANDA

AIR FORCE ACADEMY

ROMANIA

GERMANY

GENERAL M.R. STEFANIK

ARMED FORCES ACADEMY
SLOVAK REPUBLIC

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE of SCIENTIFIC PAPER

AFASES 2011
Brasov, 26-28 May 2011

BODY PARTS IN IDIOMS

Raluca MATES, Edith KAITER

Mircea cel Btrn Naval Academy, Constana, Romania

Abstract: Todays English has a general tendency towards a more idiomatic usage. Even educated
usage has become more tolerant, so the use of idiomatic expressions increased in frequency. Idioms are,
in a very broad sense, metaphorical rather than literal: they are effectively metaphors that have become
fixed in language. In some cases, it is fairly easy to see how the idiomatic meaning relates to the literal
meaning, in other cases, the literal meaning may make no sense at all.
The present paper is a study on English idioms which contain words denoting parts of the body.
Parallel idioms from Romanian are given in order to exemplify similarities or differences, as well as
particularities of some English idioms due to cultural individuality.
Keywords: idiom, similarity, vocabulary

If you attempt a comparative study of

idioms in different languages, there are several
possibilities of grouping them, even within a
certain topic, like that of parts of the body.
Quite a few sayings, phrases and
idioms have the same or similar form in
several different languages, since they can be
traced back to a common source:
a) Greek or Roman mythology; the Bible;
widely known tales, fables or anecdotes;
b) beliefs and superstitions;
c) experiences of everyday life, practical
common sense or the unwritten rules of
elementary decency, which must have
been pretty much the same everywhere).
In other cases the same idea, action or
attitude is expressed in quite a different way in
various languages, especially in those which
do not have a common origin, a shared cultural
background or at least territorial contact.
The third group would be of those
idioms which are so typical of a certain
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language (in our case, English) that they can

be considered unique and matchless.
The present paper deals with idioms
that are identical or similar in English and
Romanian.
Achilles heel = the only vulnerable spot in a
person or thing that is otherwise strong; a
serious or fatal weakness/ fault
R: clciul lui Achile
After ones own heart = to like someone
because of similar interests
R: a fi pe inima cuiva/ pe placul cuiva
An eye for an eye (and a tooth for a tooth) =
retaliation/ retribution in kind, a punishment
that is as cruel as the crime
R: ochi pentru ochi, dinte pentru dinte
An eye opener = a surprise; a startling or
enlightening experience
R: a deschide ochii asupra a ceva nou/ a vedea
cu al i ochi o situa ie
Armed to the teeth = heavily armed

R: narmat pn-n din i

Behind ones back = when one is not present
R: pe la spatele cuiva, n lipsa/necuno tin a
cuiva
Blue blood = having the qualities of being of
noble birth
R: a avea snge albastru
Cant put ones finger on = cant locate
immediately, cant find the answer
R: a nu putea pune degetul pe
Cant see beyond the end of ones nose =
limited vision concerning decisions of the
future
R: a nu vedea mai departe de propriul nas, a
avea ochelari de cal
Crocodile tears = false tears, pretended grief
R: lacrimi de crocodil
Face to face/ eyeball-to-eyeball = confronting
each other
R: fa n fa /ochi n ochi
Foul mouth = a user of profanity
R: gur-spurcat
Hand in hand = in close association
R: mn n mn
Hands are tied = restrained from acting
R: a avea minile legate
Heart-to-heart = intimate speaking freely and
seriously about a private subject
R: de la inim la inim, de la suflet la suflet
I could have bitten my tongue off = sorry
you said something
R: mai bine-mi mu cam limba
In one ear and out the other = does not heed
or pay attention
R: intr pe o ureche i iese pe cealalt
Its in your hands = it is your responsibility
R: este in minile tale
On the tip of ones tongue = at the point of
telling or recalling
R: a-i sta pe vrful limbii
One foot in the grave = old and decrepit
R: cu un picior n groap
Over ones dead body = against ones strong
opposition
R: (numai) peste cadavrul cuiva
Right-hand man = chief assistant
R: (a fi) mna dreapt a cuiva
To (not) lift a finger = not to help in the
slightest degree
R: a nu ridica niciun deget pentru
To be all ears = to listen attentively

R: a fi numai urechi
To be loosetongued = to talk too much
R: a fi slobod la gur, a fi gur spart
To be up to ones ears = immersed in, caught
in
R: a fi implicat pn peste urechi/cap
To break someones heart = cause great
sorrow, disappoint someone
R: a frnge inima cuiva
To breathe down someones neck = to follow
someone closely in pursuit, the action of a
superior who is looking for something wrong
or watching someone very closely
R: a-i sulfa cuiva n ceaf
To bury ones head in the sand = to refuse to
accept facts
R: a- i bga/ascunde capul n nisip
To catch ones breath = to rest to regain
normal breathing
R: a- i recpta suflul/suflarea
To cry on someones shoulder = to go to
someone to talk to about a problem
R: a plnge pe umrul cuiva
to foam/ froth at the mouth = to be very
angry
R: a face spume la gur
To force ones hand = make one reveal his
plans
R: a for a mna cuiva
To get ones hands on = obtain
R: a pune mna pe
To get out of hand = become uncontrollable
R: a scpa din mn
To get through ones head = to understand or
believe
R: a bga la cap
To give ones right arm = make a big
sacrifice; give something of great value
R: a- i da mna dreapt pentru
To give someone a hand = help, assistance
R: a da o mn de ajutor
To go to ones head = cause dizziness
R: a i se sui la cap
To have a big mouth = to talk too much
R: a avea gura mare, a avea o gur ct o ur
To have a sharp tongue = harsh or sarcastic
in speech
R: a avea limba ascu it
To have an eagle eye = to have an excellent
eyesight
R: a avea ochi de vultur
469

HENRI COANDA
AIR FORCE ACADEMY
ROMANIA

GERMANY

GENERAL M.R. STEFANIK

ARMED FORCES ACADEMY
SLOVAK REPUBLIC

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE of SCIENTIFIC PAPER

AFASES 2011
Brasov, 26-28 May 2011

To have ones back to the wall = in a trap

with no way to escape
R: a pune pe cineva cu spatele la zid
To have the heart = to have the courage
R: a avea inim, a te lsa inima s.
To jump down someones throat = suddenly
become very angry
R: a sri la gtul cuiva, a sri n capul cuiva
To keep an eye on = watch closely
R: a fi cu ochii pe.
To keep at arms length = keep at a distance
or away from someone
R a ine la distan
To keep ones eyes peeled = to watch
carefully
R: a fi cu ochii ct cepele
to lead somebody by the nose = to persuade
somebody to do what one wants; control
somebody completely; mislead somebody
easily
R: a duce/purta de nas pe cineva
To leave a bad taste in ones mouth = the
distinctive quality of an experience especially
with reference to the emotion that it consists of
or arouses
R: a lsa un gust amar (n gur)
To lose ones head = to become excited, lose
ones normal self-control
R: a- i pierde capul
To lose ones mind = to become insane
R: a- i pierde min ile, a o lua razna
To make eyes at = to flirt, to look longingly at
R: a face ochi dulci, a trimite ocheade
To pull a long face = become sullen, dejected,
express facially ones disapproval or
annoyance
R: a face o fa lung
To put ones shoulder to the wheel = to
cooperate, to help
R: a pune umrul la
To put words into someones mouth =
assume a meaning not intended
R: a pune vorbe n gura cuiva
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To put your finger on it = to be specific, to

explain
R: a pune degetul pe ran
To save your skin/hide = to protect yourself
R: a- i proteja/salva propria piele
To set foot in = to enter
R: a pune piciorul n
To shake hands = to clasp hands in greetings
R: a da mna
to show ones teeth = to show or reveal ones
true character or real intentions
R: a-i arta colii = to show ones fangs
R: a-i da arama pe fa = to reveal its/ ones
copper
To slip through ones fingers = to get away
R: a-i scpa printe degete
To split hairs = to argue over minor matters
R: a despica firul n patru
To stand on ones own feet = to be
independent
R: a fi pe picioarele sale
To step on peoples toes = to offend or
antagonize others
R: a clca pe cineva pe btturi
To take the law into ones own hands = to
punish someone without court action
R: a lua legea n propriile mini
To take the words out of someones mouth
= to say something that someone else was
about to say
R: a lua cuiva vorbele din gur
To turn ones back on = to ignore
R: a ntoarce spatele cuiva
To turn ones stomach = to cause one to
become nauseous
R: a ntoarce stomacul pe dos
To turn the other cheek = to permit the
repetition of some indignity, blow or attack
R: a ntoarce i cellalt obraz
To wash ones hands = to disclaim any
responsibility for
R: a se spla pe mini de(o anumit
problem)

Unable to believe ones ears = difficult to

believe what one hears
R: nu i poate crede urechilor
Under ones nose = easily seen or noticed
R: chiar sub nasul cuiva
With open arms = with warm welcome
R: cu bra ele deschise

3. Flavell, L. and R., Dictionary of

Idioms and their Origins, Kyle Cathie
LTD, London, 2002;
4. Manser, M., Dictionary of Word and
Phrase Origins, London: Sphere Books
Ltd., 1990;
5. Rogers, J., The Dictionary of Clichs,
New Jersey: Wings Books, 1994;
6. Seidl, J., English Idioms, Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 1988;
7. Tbcaru, O., Dicionar de expresii
idiomatice al limbii engleze, Bucureti:
Editura Niculescu S.R.L., 1999.
8. Warren,
H.,
Oxford
Learners
Dictionary of English Idioms, Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 1994;
9. ***, The COBUILD Dictionary of
Idioms, London, Harper Collins
Publishers, 1995
10. ***, The Longman Dictionary of
English Idioms, Longman Group UK
Ltd., 1979;
11. ***, The Oxford Dictionary of Idioms,
New York, Oxford University Press
Inc., 1999;
12. ***, The Penguin Dictionary of English
Idioms, Penguin Books Ltd., 1994;
13. ***, The Wordsworth Dictionary of
Idioms, Ware: Wordsworth Editions
Ltd., 1993;
14. ***, The Wordsworth Dictionary of
Phrase & Fable, Hertfordshire:
Wordsworth Editions Ltd., 1993.

Idioms are one of the most difficult

parts of the vocabulary of any language
because they have unpredictable meanings or
collocations and grammar. One of the main
difficulties for learners is deciding in which
situation it is correct to use an idiom, i.e. the
level of style (neutral, informal, slang, taboo,
etc. idioms). Learners of English may also
have difficulty deciding whether an idiom is
natural or appropriate in a certain situation. It
is extremely unwise to translate idioms into or
from ones native language. One may be lucky
that the two languages have the same form and
vocabulary, but in most cases the result will be
utterly bewildering to the English native
speaker and possibly highly amusing. (Seidl
1988)
REFERENCES
1. Courtney, R., Longman Dictionary of
Phrasal Verbs, Essex England:
Longman Group UK Ltd, 1994;
2. Dumistrcel, S., Expresii romneti,
Iai: Institutul European, 1997;

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