11 Idioms Using the Word Head in English

Hello English learners! English is full of colourful idioms, and many of them use parts of the body. One of the most common words in English idioms is head. That is hardly surprising, really — the head is often linked with thoughts, emotions, judgement, and self-control. In this lesson, we are going to look at 11 useful idioms using the word head. These expressions are very common in everyday English, and they can help you sound more natural and expressive.

You will learn their meanings, see how they are used in context, and pick up some useful example sentences along the way.

Let us get started.

1. Keep your head

Meaning: To keep your head means to stay calm and sensible in a difficult, stressful, or dangerous situation.

Examples:

• Even during the worst moments of the crisis, she managed to keep her head.
• You need to keep your head and think carefully before making a decision.
• He kept his head while everyone else was panicking.

Note: This idiom is often used to praise someone for staying calm under pressure.

2. Keep your head above water

Meaning: To keep your head above water means to manage to survive a difficult situation, especially a financial one, without failing completely.

Examples:

• It has been a hard year, but the business is still keeping its head above water.
• With prices rising everywhere, many families are struggling just to keep their heads above water.
• She took on a second job to keep her head above water.

Note: This idiom is especially common when talking about money, debt, work, or business problems.

3. (Do something) standing on your head

Meaning: If you say you can do something standing on your head, you mean it is extremely easy for you.

Examples:

• That exam was so easy I could have done it standing on my head.
• For an experienced chef like her, making that dish is easy — she could do it standing on her head.
• He has been using that software for years. He can work with it standing on his head.

Note: This expression is informal and slightly humorous.

4. Lose your head

Meaning: To lose your head means to lose control, become too emotional, or panic and behave irrationally.

Examples:

• Try not to lose your head in an emergency.
• He completely lost his head when he heard the news.
• If you lose your head now, you will only make the situation worse.

Note: This idiom is often used in stressful or emotional situations.

5. Make head nor tail of something

Meaning: If you can’t make head nor tail of something, you cannot understand it at all.

Examples:

• I have read the instructions three times, and I still cannot make head nor tail of them.
• We tried to read the report, but we couldn’t make head nor tail of it.
• His explanation was so confusing that I couldn’t make head nor tail of what he meant.

Note: This is a very useful idiom for confusing texts, instructions, systems, or explanations.

6. Get your head around something

Meaning: To get your head around something means to understand something that is difficult, strange, or complicated.

Examples:

• It took me a while to get my head around the new system.
• I still cannot get my head around how much the project will cost.
• Once you get your head around the rules, the game is quite simple.

Note: This idiom is very common in both spoken and written English.

7. Head over heels

Meaning: If you are head over heels, you are deeply and completely in love.

Examples:

• She fell head over heels for her new colleague.
• They were head over heels in love within a few weeks.
• He is still head over heels after all these years.

Note: This idiom is most often used in romantic contexts, though sometimes it can also suggest strong enthusiasm.

8. Off the top of your head

Meaning: If you say something off the top of your head, you say it from memory, without checking or thinking very carefully first.

Examples:

• I cannot remember the exact number off the top of my head.
• Off the top of my head, I would say there were about thirty people there.
• Do you know her email address off the top of your head?

Note: This idiom is very common in everyday conversation.

9. Shout / laugh / scream your head off

Meaning: To shout your head off, laugh your head off, or scream your head off means to shout, laugh, or scream very loudly or for a long time.

Examples:

• The fans were shouting their heads off when their team scored.
• We laughed our heads off at his joke.
• The children were screaming their heads off on the rollercoaster.

Note: This idiom makes the action sound very strong and dramatic.

10. Turn heads

Meaning: To turn heads means to attract a lot of attention, usually because you are very attractive, stylish, or impressive.

Examples:

• She walked into the room and immediately turned heads.
• His new sports car is certainly turning heads.
• That dress will definitely turn heads at the party.

Note: Although it is often used for physical appearance, it can also be used for anything striking or impressive.

11. Bang / hit your head against a brick wall

Meaning: To bang your head against a brick wall or hit your head against a brick wall means to keep trying to do something that is impossible or hopeless, especially when it feels very frustrating.

Examples:

• Trying to persuade him is like banging your head against a brick wall.
• I feel as though I’m hitting my head against a brick wall with this maths problem.
• There is no point arguing with her — it is like talking to a brick wall and banging your head against one at the same time.

Note: This idiom expresses frustration very strongly.

Why learn idioms with head?

Learning idioms using the word head can help you sound more natural in conversation, understand films, books, and native speakers more easily, express emotions and reactions more vividly and improve your vocabulary for speaking and writing.

Idioms add colour to your English. Instead of saying only I was confused, you can say I couldn’t make head nor tail of it. Instead of stay calm, you can say keep your head. It is much more expressive.

Quick summary

Here is a quick review of the idioms from this lesson:

• keep your head = stay calm
• keep your head above water = survive a difficult situation
• do something standing on your head = do something very easily
• lose your head = panic or lose control
• make head nor tail of something = not understand something
• get your head around something = understand something difficult
• head over heels = deeply in love
• off the top of your head = from memory, without checking
• shout/laugh/scream your head off = do something very loudly or intensely
• turn heads = attract attention
• bang/hit your head against a brick wall = keep trying something hopeless and frustrating

Final thoughts

Idioms using the word head are some of the most vivid and useful expressions in English. They can help you describe confusion, calmness, love, frustration, and many other feelings in a much more natural way.

The best way to learn idioms is not simply to memorise them, but to notice them in context, practise them in sentences, and return to them regularly. Little by little, they begin to feel like old friends rather than difficult strangers.

I hope you enjoyed this lesson and found it helpful.

Related posts:

Idioms with Body Parts in English

Idioms Using the Word EYE

HAND Idioms

Expressions with HEART

Collocations for Strong Emotions

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