IdiomBody & Senses
English
Englishwelcome with open arms
Meaning: To greet or accept someone with great warmth and enthusiasm.
Example: “When the new teacher arrived in the village, the families welcomed her with open arms.”
Origin: The open embrace as a sign of welcome is ancient; the English phrase "with open arms" is recorded from around the mid-17th century.
Equivalents in other languages
French: Tendre les bras Literally: To stretch out one's arms
More English idioms
- chase skirts To pursue women constantly and flirtatiously.
- not know which way to turn To be so overwhelmed or confused that one does not know what to do.
- watch one's step To be careful how one behaves, to avoid trouble.
- have a lot on one's plate To have many tasks or problems to deal with.
- mend fences To repair a damaged relationship after a disagreement.
- play one's last card To make a final attempt, using the last resource one has.
Explore another collection: Proverbs
Short sayings of timeless wisdom from more than 50 cultures, each with its meaning and origin.
- The devil is not always at one door. Misfortune strikes unpredictably from different directions, so vigilance must extend ever…
- St. Bartholomew brings the cold dew. Summer's end arrives when this saint's feast day comes, marking autumn's approach and coo…
- Young men may die, old men must. Mortality is inevitable for all, but youth's false sense of invulnerability obscures this…
Keep exploring