IdiomBody & Senses
English
Englishfire in the belly
Meaning: Strong ambition and drive.
Example: “At seventy, the director still has fire in the belly.”
Origin: The belly, like the heart, was long seen as the seat of passion. The phrase is common from the 20th century.
Equivalents in other languages
French: Avoir le feu sacré Literally: To have the sacred fire
More English idioms
- all fired up Very excited or enthusiastic.
- the oldest trick in the book A very familiar trick that should not fool anyone.
- a slippery slope A small step that leads to worse and worse consequences.
- snug as a bug in a rug Very warm and comfortable.
- champ at the bit To be impatient to start.
- at cross purposes To misunderstand each other or work toward conflicting goals.
Explore another collection: False Friends
Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
- Oldtimer Actually means 'vintage car' or 'classic aircraft'. A veteran person is ein Veteran.
- Camera Actually means 'room'. A camera (device) is una macchina fotografica.
- Pretendere Actually means 'to demand' or 'to expect'. Pretende troppo = He demands too much.
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