head

above your head beyond your ability to understand.

bang (or knock) people's heads together reprimand people severely, especially in an attempt to stop them arguing.

2004David PeckCareers Services He gained an early reputation as a right-wing critic of the Service who intended to change attitudes and bang heads together where necessary.

bang (or knock) your head against a brick wall doggedly attempt the impossible and have your efforts repeatedly and painfully rebuffed.

1995Jayne MillerVoxpop You're banging your head against a brick wall for years and still getting nowhere. It's soul-destroying.

be hanging over your head (of something unpleasant) threaten to affect you at any moment.

be on someone's (own) head be someone's sole responsibility.

bite (or snap) someone's head off reply sharply and brusquely to someone.

bury your head in the sand: seebury.

butt heads: seebutt.

come (or bring) to a head reach (or cause to reach) a crisis.

do someone's head in cause someone to feel annoyed, confused, or frustrated. British informal

2018Gillian McAllisterAnything You Do Say He'd go to parties and stuff but come home and tell me everything that he'd said … ask me for reassurance. All of that. Did my head in.

do something standing on your head do something very easily.

enter someone's head occur to someone (usually used in the negative).

from head to toe (or foot) all over your body.

☞ An alternative formulation with the same meaning is from top to toe.

get your head down

1 sleep.

2 concentrate on the task in hand. British informal

get your head round (or around) something understand or come to terms with something. informal

give (someone) head perform oral sex on someone. vulgar slang

give someone their head allow someone complete freedom of action.

☞ The image is of allowing a horse to go as fast as it wants rather than checking its pace with the bit and reins. Compare with allow free rein to (atrein).

2012Church Times Lindy had married Robert the man, not Robert the priest, and, while he gave her her head, he also relied on her absolute candour.

go to your head

1 (of alcohol) make you dizzy or slightly drunk.

2 (of success) make you conceited.

hang your head (in shame) be deeply ashamed.

have eyes in the back of your head: seeeye.

have your head screwed on: seescrewed.

have a swollen head: seeswollen.

head and shoulders above by far superior to. informal

2006Ireland's Own The one player who stands head and shoulders above the rest is button-accordion virtuoso Joe Burke

head for the hills: seehill.

head (or cut) someone or something off at the pass forestall someone or something, especially at a critical moment or at the last possible moment.

☞ Pass is used here in the sense of a narrow route through mountains.

head over heels upside down; turning over completely in a forward motion, as in a somersault.

☞ The earlier, more logical, version of this phrase was heels over head; the normal modern form dates from the late 18th century. It is often used figuratively of an extreme condition, as in head over heels in love, 'madly in love', or head over heels in debt, 'deeply in debt'.

head south: seesouth.

heads I win, tails you lose I win whatever happens.

heads will roll there will be some people dismissed or disgraced.

1975Sam SelvonMoses Ascending It appears he went back for reinforcements, and is returning to make some drastic changes in the administration of the Establishment. Heads will roll, they say.

hold (or put) a gun (or a pistol) to someone's head: seegun.

hold your head (up) high be confident or unashamed.

keep (or lose) your head remain (or fail to remain) calm.

2005Barbara Keating & Stephanie KeatingBlood Sisters I made a hash of it … Lost my head like an idiot.

keep your head above water avoid succumbing to difficulties, especially falling into debt.

keep your head down remain inconspicuous in difficult or dangerous times. informal

1995Edward TomanDancing in Limbo All his instincts told him to keep his head down. He didn't need Lily's constant nagging to remind him he was in deep trouble.

King Charles's head: seeking.

knock someone or something on the head: seeknock.

make head or tail of understand at all.

1994S. P. SomtowJasmine Nights I'm…trying to puzzle out why he has turned his animosity on me instead of those who are clearly his enemies. I can't make head or tail of it.

need your head examined (or examining) be foolishly irresponsible.

☞ The implication here is that the examination will reveal proof of insanity.

2005Mimi in New York Anyone who suggests diet and exercise are wrong needs their head examining.

off (or out of) your head

1 mad or crazy.

2 extremely drunk or severely under the influence of illegal drugs.

off the top of your head without careful thought or investigation. informal

1988Jamaica KincaidA Small Place He apologises for the incredible mistake he has made in quoting you a price off the top of his head which is so vastly different (favouring him) from the one listed.

an old head on young shoulders: seeold.

on your (own) head be it used to indicate that you think someone should take full responsibility for anything that goes wrong if they persist in an inadvisable course of action.

over your head

1 beyond your ability to understand.

2 without your knowledge or involvement, especially when you have a right to this.

3 with disregard for your own (stronger) claim.

a price on someone's head: seeprice.

pull your head in mind your own business. Australian & New Zealand informal

put (or raise or stick) your head above the parapet speak out about something in spite of the risks involved.

☞ A parapet is a protective wall along the top of a trench or similar military emplacement. Anyone showing their head over the top of it would be liable to be shot.

2013Daily Telegraph The irony is that there is latent talent in Whitehall, although it is very difficult for good civil servants to stick their head above the parapet.

put your head in a noose: seenoose.

put your head on the block: seeblock.

put your heads together consult and work together.

put something into someone's head suggest something to someone.

rear its head: seerear.

a roof over your head: seeroof.

scratch your head: seescratch.

stand (or turn) something on its head completely reverse the principles or interpretation of an idea, argument, etc.

take it into your head to do something decide impetuously to do something.

2009Diana GabaldonAn Echo in the Bone Someone from the Teal might take it into his head to liberate the sailors in the hold.

turn heads attract a great deal of attention or interest.

turn someone's head make someone conceited.

two heads are better than one it's helpful to have the advice or opinion of a second person. proverb

1994James KelmanHow Late It Was, How Late Cause it's hard to do it yerself Keith, two heads are better than one.

wet the baby's head: seewet.

with your head in the clouds: seecloud.

- your head off laugh, talk, shout, etc. with a complete lack of restraint or without stopping.

2010Christopher GrantTeenie Those girls look like straight-up groupies, screaming their heads off and trying to touch Greg.