Harnessing the heart of language, idioms hint at histories, habits, and human experiences, often hiding profound meanings in humor and hyperbole. Honoring our next alphabetical halt, this article hones in on idioms that humbly hail from the harmonious and hallowed letter “H”.
From “hit the nail on the head” to “hold your horses”, the letter “H” hosts a horde of hearty expressions, each having its own heritage and hue in the intricate tapestry of English. Whether you’re a hopeful historian, a heady linguist, or simply harbor a hunger for the harmonies of language, this article will hold your hand, leading you through the hills and hollows of “H” idioms. So, hang onto your hat and hop on board as we hightail through the hypnotic and sometimes humorous world of idioms, highlighting the history and human touch behind each one.
Idioms Beginning With Letter H
Hopping heartily into the haven of English idioms, we hit upon a hoard of expressions that hail from the humble letter ‘H’. These idiomatic hallmarks highlight the heritage, humor, and heft of the language, offering a harmonious blend of history and hyperbole. In this hefty exposition, let’s hone in on the illustrious idioms rooted in the letter ‘H’.
- Hit the Nail on the Head
- Meaning: To describe exactly what is causing a situation or problem.
- Example: “When Robert suggested that we lacked clear communication, he hit the nail on the head.”
- Hold Your Horses
- Meaning: A request for someone to wait or slow down.
- Example: “Hold your horses! We can’t make a decision without all the information.”
- Hear it on the Grapevine
- Meaning: To hear rumors about something.
- Example: “I heard on the grapevine that they’re planning to restructure the department.”
- Head Over Heels
- Meaning: Deeply in love or very excited about something.
- Example: “She fell head over heels for the new intern in her team.”
- Hard as Nails
- Meaning: Referring to someone who is very tough or resilient.
- Example: “My grandfather is as hard as nails; he once ran a marathon with a sprained ankle.”
- Hit the Books
- Meaning: To study, especially with particular intensity.
- Example: “I need to hit the books tonight to prepare for tomorrow’s exam.”
- Have a Bone to Pick
- Meaning: Wanting to talk to someone about something they have done that annoyed you.
- Example: “I have a bone to pick with you – why did you take my charger without asking?”
- Hang in the Balance
- Meaning: To be in an uncertain position.
- Example: “With the votes almost equally split, the decision hangs in the balance.”
- Hot Under the Collar
- Meaning: Being angry or agitated.
- Example: “He gets hot under the collar whenever someone mentions the project’s failure.”
- Have a Change of Heart
- Meaning: To change one’s opinion or feelings about something.
- Example: “She initially declined the job offer but had a change of heart the next day.”
- Hand in Glove
- Meaning: In a close relationship or partnership.
- Example: “The two companies have been working hand in glove to produce the next big tech product.”
- Hold the Fort
- Meaning: To take responsibility for something while someone else is absent.
- Example: “I have to step out for a meeting, can you hold the fort for a couple of hours?”
- Hear Through the Grapevine
- Meaning: To hear news from someone who heard that news from someone else.
- Example: “I heard through the grapevine that she’s planning to resign.”
- High and Dry
- Meaning: In a position of difficulty, without resources or help.
- Example: “After the sudden budget cuts, the project was left high and dry.”
- Hitting the Hay
- Meaning: Going to bed or going to sleep.
- Example: “It’s been a long day; I’m hitting the hay.”
List of idioms Starting with H
| Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hail Mary N. Or | A Desperate, Last-Ditch Attempt |
| Hair Of The Dog That Bit You | A Small Amount Of The Alcoholic Beverage That Caused Your Hangover |
| Hands Are Tied | You Are Prevented From Doing Something. It Is Not Within Your Power |
| Hands Down | Undoubtedly |
| Hang In There | Don’T Give Up |
| Hang It Up | To Retire, To End An Activity One Has Pursued For A Long Time |
| Hang Tough | Maintain One’S Resolve |
| Hanging By A Thread | In Great Danger Of Elimination Or Failure |
| Happy-Go-Lucky | If You Are A Happy-Go-Lucky Person, You Are Cheerful And Carefree All The Time. |
| Hard Nut To Crack | A Difficult Problem Or A Difficult Person |
| Hard To Swallow | Difficult To Believe |
| Has The Cat Got Your Tongue? | Why Are You Not Saying Anything? |
| Haste Makes Waste | You’Ll Make Mistakes If You Rush Through Something |
| Hat Trick | Scoring Three Goals In Hockey Or Soccer Football, Or Accomplishing Three Of Anything. |
| Hatchet Job | A Strong Attack On Someone’S Reputation, Intentionally Destructive Criticism, Calumny |
| Haul Over The Coals | To Scold Someone Severely |
| Have One’S Head In The Clouds | Not Know What Is Happening Around You Or Out Of Touch With Reality |
| Have A Ball | To Have A Very Enjoyable Time |
| Have A Bone To Pick With Someone | To Want To Discuss Something Someone Has Done That Has Angered Or Annoyed You. |
| Have A Change Of Heart | Changed Your Mind |
| Have A Chip On One’S Shoulder | To Harbor Resentment, To Have An Angry Attitude |
| Have A Dog In The Hunt Fight, Race | To Support A Certain Person In A Competition |
| Have A Lead Foot | A Tendency To Drive Very Fast |
| Have A Lot On One’S Plate | Be Busy, Be In The Middle Of Many Ongoing Tasks |
| Have A Lot Riding On Something | Be Depending On The Successful Outcome Or Development Of Something |
| Have A Nose For Something | To Have Natural Ability At Something, A Talent For Finding Something |
| Have A Screw Loose | Be Slightly Unbalanced Or Crazy |
| Have A Tough Row To Hoe | Be Faced With A Task That Is Difficult Because Of Unfavorable Conditions |
| Have A Whale Of A Time | To Enjoy Yourself Very Much |
| Have An Ace Up One’S Sleeve | To Have A Hidden Advantage |
| Have Bigger Fish To Fry | Have More Important Things To Do |
| Have Egg On Your Face | They Are Made To Look Foolish Or Embarrassed |
| Have Foot-In-Mouth Disease | To Embarrass Oneself Through A Silly Mistake |
| Have Hand Of Aces/Hold All The Aces | To Be In A Very Strong Position In A Competition |
| Have It Out With Someone | To Have An Argument With Someone In Order To Settle A Dispute |
| Have Mixed Feelings | Be Unsure Of How You Feel |
| Have One Foot In The Grave | To Be Near Death Usually Because Of Old Age Or Illness |
| Have One Over The Eight | A Person Is Slightly Drunk. |
| Have One Too Many | Drink Too Much Alcohol |
| Have One’S Cake And Eat It, Too | To Want Two Incompatible Things Usually Used In The Negative |
| Have Second Thoughts | Have Doubts |
| Have Skin In The Game | Be Risking Something In An Undertaking |
| Have Something In The Bag | Be Certain To Win |
| Have The Hots For Somebody | To Be Sexually Attracted To Somebody |
| Have The Time Of Your Life | If You Have The Time Of Our Life, You Enjoy Yourself Very Much. |
| Have Your Head In The Clouds | Not Be Concentrating |
| Have Your Nose In The Air | Have A Snobbish Or Disdainful Attitude |
| Have Your Say | Express Your Opinion On Something |
| Have Your Thumb Up Your Ass | Have Nothing To Do |
| He Has Bigger Fish To Fry | He Has Bigger Things To Take Care Of Than What We Are Talking About Now |
| He Who Laughs Last Laughs Best | Being Victorious Is Often A Matter Of Simply Surviving A Conflict |
| He Who Laughs Last Laughs Loudest | I’Ll Get You Back For What You Did |
| He Would Put Legs Under A Chicken | He Will Talk Your Head Off, He Is Very Talkative |
| He’S A Really Bright Spark | He’S An Intelligent Person |
| He’S Kicked The Bucket | He’S Died |
| He’S On The Straight And Narrow | He’S Living In A Morally Proper Way |
| Head Go South | Decline, Get Worse |
| Head And Shoulders | Above Far Superior To |
| Head And Shoulders Above | Far Superior To |
| Head Start | An Advantage Over Everyone Else |
| Heads Up | Get Ready! Be Prepared |
| Heads Up! | Be Careful! |
| Heads Will Roll Are Going To Roll | People Will Be Fired |
| Hear Something Through The Grapevine | To Learn Something Via Gossip |
| Hear Something Straight From The Horse’S Mouth | Hear Something From The Person Involved |
| Heart And Soul | With All One’S Energy Or Affection |
| Heavens Open | Start To Rain Heavily |
| Heavy Hitter | A Powerful, Influential Person |
| Helicopter Parenting | Overattentive Child-Raising |
| Hell For Leather | Very Fast, As Fast As Possible |
| He’S A Chip Off The Old Block | The Son Is Like The Father |
| He’S Not Playing With A Full Deck | He’S Dumb |
| He’S Off His Rocker | He’S Crazy |
| He’S Sitting On The Fence | He Can’T Make Up His Mind |
| High As A Kite | Strongly Under The Influence Of Drugs Or Intoxcants |
| Hightail It Out Of There | Flee |
| Highways And Byways | You Take Large And Small Roads To Visit Every Part Of The Country. |
| Hit A Wall | Suddenly Stop Making Forward Progress |
| Hit Below The Belt | To Capitalize On An Opponent’S Vulnerabilities In An Unfair Way |
| Hit It Out Of The Park | Succeed Brilliantly |
| Hit The Books | To Study Generally Said Of Students |
| Hit The Ground Running | To Begin A Job Or Project With No Learning Or Training Period Needed |
| Hit The Hay | To Go To Bed |
| Hit The Jackpot | Do Something That Brings Great Success |
| Hit The Mark | To Find The Perfect Or Ideal Solution, To Be In Exactly The Right Place |
| Hit The Nail On The Head | Get Something Exactly Right |
| Hit The Road | To Leave |
| Hit The Roof | Explode In Rage, Become Extremely Angry |
| Hit The Sack | Go To Sleep |
| Hit The Spot | Be Very Satisfying Said Of Something Eaten |
| Hive Mind | The Knowledge Of Humans As A Group |
| Hobson’S Choice | A Choice Among Bad Options |
| Hold One’S Liquor | Be Able To Drink A Large Amount Without Being Affected |
| Hold One’S Peace | Be Silent |
| Hold The Line | To Stay On The Telephone To Wait For The Party You Are Calling To Become Available |
| Hold The Phone | Wait A Moment Whether You’Re On The Phone Or Not |
| Hold Your Horses | Slow Down, Stop And Think About What You’Re Doing |
| Hold Your Horses Generally | Stop, Restrain Yourself, Don’T Be So Excited |
| Home Away From Home | A Habitual Hangout, A Place One Frequents Often And Where One Feels Welcome |
| Home Truths | Honest, Often Painful Criticism |
| Honor System | A System Of Payments That Relies On The Honesty Of Those Paying |
| Horse Of A Different Color | Something That Is Quite Different, A Separate Issue |
| Hot Dog | A Person Doing Athletic Stunts That Are Dangerous |
| Hot Mess | Something Or Someone In A State Of Extreme Disorder |
| Hot On The Heels Of | In Close Pursuit |
| Hot Potato | A Controversial Subject Or Difficult Project That Is Best Avoided |
In Retrospect
Harnessing the heritage of ‘H’ idioms, we are handed a host of expressions that harmonize humor, history, and human experiences. These idioms, from heartfelt to humorous, heighten our conversational horizons and help us connect on a deeper level. For anyone hoping to hone their linguistic prowess, grappling with ‘H’ idioms is a must. So, hesitate no more! Hop onto the bandwagon and let these ‘H’ idioms hydrate your conversations with humor and heft. Happy learning!
Idioms That Start With
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z
