keep your chin up
Meaning: to remain optimistic; to stay courageous during difficulty.
Language: English
Literally: to keep your chin up
Category: Body & Senses
Origin: Rests on posture that reads the same everywhere: dejection drops the head and pulls the chin toward the chest, while raising the chin is the physical signature of composure and defiance. Because the posture and the mood reinforce each other in both directions — holding the head up genuinely does make a person feel steadier — the instruction is less metaphorical than it sounds. The phrase is American and attested from around 1900, and it became strongly associated with civilian morale during the World Wars, when it was used less as advice about how to feel than as advice about how to carry oneself while feeling something else entirely.
More idioms — Body & Senses
- pitter-patter of little feet — the sound of children running; anticipation of having babies.
- be in someone's shoes — to understand someone's perspective; to experience their situation.
- white as a sheet — extremely pale; shocked or frightened.
- sharp as a tack — intelligent; quick-witted; keen-minded.
- pull someone's leg — To joke or tease someone by telling them something untrue.
- Avoir la gueule de bois — To be hungover.
More English idioms
- the real McCoy — the genuine article; something authentic and high quality.
- cry over spilled milk — to regret something past; useless to grieve over unchangeable events.
- go pear-shaped — to go wrong; to develop badly; to become misshapen.
- hard pill to swallow — difficult to accept; unpleasant truth or reality.
- be on cloud nine — to be extremely happy; in a state of bliss.
- get a kick out of something — to enjoy something greatly; to find something amusing.
From our false friends
- Firma — Actually means 'signature'. Metti la tua firma = Put your signature here.
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- Conveniente — Actually means 'affordable', 'good value', or 'suitable'. È conveniente = It's a good dea…