Emotional expression

• bare your heart (or soul) to someone 

• If you bare you heart (or soul) to someone, you reveal your innermost thoughts and feelings to them. 

• "Mike couldn't keep things to himself any longer. He decided to bare his soul to his best friend."

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• bear the brunt 

• A person who bears the brunt of something is the one who suffers the most when something bad or unpleasant happens.

• "When things go wrong, his assistant always has to bear the brunt of his anger. "

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• beside yourself (with emotion) 

• If you are beside yourself (with an emotion), you lose your self-control because of the intensity of the emotion you are feeling.

• "He was beside himself with grief when he lost his son."

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• bored to tears (also: bored to distraction/bored to death/bored silly) 

• If you find something so dull and uninteresting that it makes you sad enough to cry, you are bored to tears.

• "I could see that my son was bored to tears by the historical documentary."

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• carry the torch for someone 

• If you carry the torch, you have strong feelings for someone with whom you do not or cannot have a relationship.

• "He's been carrying the torch for Julie since their college days, before she married Ted."

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• wouldn't be caught/seen dead 

• If someone says that they wouldn't be caught or seen dead in a particular place or doing something, they mean that they would be too ashamed or embarrassed.

• "My seven-year-old son thinks he's a big boy; he wouldn't be caught dead holding my hand in front of his friends!"

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• (have a) chip on your shoulder 

• If someone has a chip on their shoulder, they feel resentful because they feel they are being treated unfairly, especially because of their background, their sex or their colour.

• "He's got a chip on his shoulder because he's from a working-class family."

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• close to home 

• If a remark or comment is close to home, it is so true, or it affects you so directly, that you feel uncomfortable.

• "Alan looks embarrassed. Bob's comment must have been close to home."

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• cork up something 

• If you cork up your feelings or emotions, you fail to show or express them.

• "It would be better if she showed her grief and didn't cork up her feelings."

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• cut to the quick 

• If you cut someone to the quick, you hurt their feelings or offend them deeply.

• "Alan was cut to the quick when Joe expressed doubt about his sincerity."

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• deep down 

• If you talk about how someone is, or feels, deep down, you are describing what they are like or what they really feel deep inside, behind the outward appearance.

• "He appears to be indifferent to his success, but deep down he's very happy"

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• (like a) fish out of water 

• If you feel like a fish out of water, you feel uncomfortable in unfamiliar surroundings.

• "As a non-golfer, I felt like a fish out of water at the clubhouse." 

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• fit of pique 

• Someone who reacts by showing their resentment or annoyance when their pride has been wounded, or they feel insulted, is said

• to have a fit of pique.

• "His partner left the table in a fit of pique."

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• Freudian slip 

• A Freudian slip is a mistake made by a speaker which is considered to reveal their true thoughts or feelings.

• "So you got the job - I'm so sad ...  Sorry, I mean 'glad'!"

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• have your heart in the right place 

• A person who has their heart in the right place has kind feelings and good intentions, even if the results are not too good.

• "The old lady's cake wasn't wonderful but she's got her heart in the right place!"

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• get a grip on yourself 

• If you get a grip on yourself, you try to control your feelings so as to be able to deal with a situation.

• "After the initial shock, Lisa got a grip on herself and called an ambulance." 

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• get something out of your system 

• This expression means that you get rid of a strong emotion or desire by expressing it openly or trying to fulfill it.

• "Tell you parents how you feel - it's better to get it out of your system."

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• get worked up 

• If you get worked up about something, you become upset, annoyed or excited, often unnecessarily.

• "It's his first day at school tomorrow and he's all worked up about it."

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• go bananas 

• If someone becomes very emotional and starts behaving in a crazy way, they go bananas.

• "If you announce that you are going to drop out of school, your parents will go bananas!"

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• go off the deep end 

• If a person goes off the deep end, they become so angry or upset that they cannot control their emotions.

• "Eva will go off the deep end if her kids leave the kitchen in a mess again."

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• go to pieces 

• If you go to pieces, for example after a terrible shock, you are so upset or distressed that you cannot lead a normal life.

• "Jack nearly went to pieces when his son died in a car crash." 

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• groan inwardly 

• If you groan inwardly, you feel like expressing despair, disapproval or distress, but you remain silent.

• "On his return, when Pete saw the pile of files on his desk, he groaned inwardly."

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• guilty pleasure 

• Enjoying something which is not generally held in high regard, while at the same time feeling a bit guilty about it, is called a guilty pleasure.

• "Reading gossip magazines is a guilty pleasure for many women… and some men too!"

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• (as) hard as nails 

• A person who is (as) hard as nails is unsentimental and shows no sympathy.

• "Don't expect any sympathy from him.  He's as hard as nails."

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• head over heels in love (with someone) 

• When a person falls passionately in love with another, they are said to be head over heels in love.

• "Tony's only interest at the moment is Maria. He's head over heels in love with her!"

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• change of heart 

• If someone has a change of heart, they change their attitude or feelings, especially towards greater friendliness or cooperation.

• "He was against charity, but he had a change of heart when he saw the plight of the homeless." 

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• couldn't give a hoot 

• To say that you don't or couldn't give a hoot means that you don't care at all about something.

• "She wears eccentric clothes but she couldn't give a hoot about what others think." 

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• hot under the collar 

• If you get hot under the collar, you feel annoyed, indignant or embarrassed.

• "If anyone criticises his proposals, Joe immediately gets hot under the collar."

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• keep a stiff upper lip 

• If a person keeps a stiff upper lip, they contain their emotion and do not let other people see their feelings.

• "When the bad news was announced, she kept a stiff upper lip."

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• lick one's wounds 

• When a person licks their wonds, they try to recover their confidence or spirits after a defeat, failure or disappointment.

• "Poor Hugo is licking his wounds after being dropped from the team."

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• look on the bright side 

• If you look on the bright side, you view a mostly unpleasant situation in a positive and optimistic way and the see the favourable aspects.

• "OK. You know nobody. But look on the bright side - you'll make lots of new friends!" 

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• love me, love my dog 

• This expression means that if someone loves you, they must love everything about you, including everyone and everything you love.

• "Harry didn't like Sally's best friend, but Sally said : 'love me, love my dog!'"

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• (have a) lump in your throat 

• If you have a lump in your throat, you have a tight feeling in your throat because of a strong emotion such as sadness or gratitude.

• "The speech was so touching that I had a lump in my throat." 

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• makes your ears burn 

• If something makes your ears burn, you are embarrassed by what you hear, especially if the conversation is about you.

• "The comments I overheard made my ears burn."

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• makes your flesh crawl 

• Something that makes your flesh crawl fills you with disgust or makes you feel very nervous.

• "Just talking about snakes makes my flesh crawl!"

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• (have) mixed feelings 

• When you have mixed feelings about something, you react to it with conflicting emotions; you are happy and unhappy at the same time.

• "I had mixed feelings about leaving the company. I was excited about my new job but sad to be leaving my colleagues." 

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• no hard feelings 

• If you have no hard feelings, you feel no resentment or bitterness about something.

• "When Alan was promoted instead of Steve, he said to Steve : 'No hard feelings I hope."

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• not give a hang 

• If you do not give a hang about something, you are totally indifferent to it and do not care at all about it.

• "I'm not interested in football so I don't give a hang about which team wins." 

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• nose out of joint 

• If something puts your nose out of joint, it offends or annoys you.

• "When he discovered he wasn't on the invitation list, that really put his nose out of joint!"

• open (or reopen) old wounds 

• If you open or reopen old wounds you revive memories of an unpleasant event, situation or dispute that took place in the past.

• "He carefully avoided the subject so as not to open old wounds." 

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• pour your heart out 

• If you pour your heart out to someone, you express your feelings freely.

• "When she needs to pour her heart out to someone, Elsa goes to visit her grandmother."

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• proud/pleased as punch 

• Someone who is as proud or pleased as punch is delighted or feels very satisfied about something.

• "Dad was as proud as punch when he won the tennis match."

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• put your foot in your mouth 

• If you put your foot in your mouth, you say something that offends, upsets or embarrasses someone.

• "Jenny really put her foot in her mouth when she mentioned the housewarming party - Andy hadn't been invited." 

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• reduce someone to tears 

• If your behaviour or attitude makes someone cry, you reduce them to tears.

• "The teacher criticised her presentation so harshly that she was reduced to tears."

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• regain your composure 

• If you regain your composure, you calm down and control your emotions again after a stressful or upsetting event.

• "It took her a while to regain her composure after hearing the insulting remarks."

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• save face 

• When someone saves face, they manage to avoid humiliation or embarrassment and preserve their dignity and the respect of others.

• "They allowed him to save face by accepting his resignation."

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• (have a) soft spot 

• If you have a soft spot for someone or something, you particularly like them.

• "My grandfather has always had a soft spot for his first grandchild."

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• speak volumes 

• If something speaks volumes, it expresses a reaction or opinion very clearly, with no need for words.

• "The happy smile on the child's face when he opened the box spoke volumes about my choice of gift." 

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• let off steam 

• A person who lets off steam releases surplus energy or strong feelings either through intense physical activity or by talking in an unrestrained manner.

• "Let's bring the kids to the playground so they can let off steam." 

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• steamed up 

• If someone gets steamed up about something, they become very angry, excited or enthusiastic about it.

• "Calm down - there's no need to get all steamed up about it!" 

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• in a stew 

• When someone is in a stew about something, they are worried and agitated.

• "When she was organizing the wedding reception, Laura got into a stew over the seating arrangements."

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• in a stitherum 

• Someone who is (all) in a stitherum is excited, agitated or confused about something.

• "The mayor's resignation created quite a stitherum in the town."

• strike/hit a raw nerve 

• If something you say strikes or hits a raw nerve, it upsets someone because they are very sensitive about the subject.

• "You struck a raw nerve when you mentioned divorce. They're separating." 

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• swallow one's pride 

• If you swallow your pride, you accept something humiliating or embarrassing, for example having to admit that you are wrong or that you have less knowledge that you thought.

• "When Jill failed the exam, she had to swallow her pride and repeat the course."

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• sweet nothings 

• Pleasant but unimportant words that lovers say to each other are called sweet nothings.

• "He whispered sweet nothings in her ear as they danced."

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• take a fancy (to someone) 

• If you take a fancy to someone or something, you develop a fondness for them or begin to like them.

• "I think Paul has taken a fancy to the new intern!"

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• take a load/weight off your mind 

• If something takes a load (or weight) off someone's mind, it brings great relief because a problem has been solved.

• "When the company closed down, finding a new job took a load off Tom's mind." 

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• tear your hair out 

• If someone is tearing their hair out, they are extremely agitated or distressed about something.

• "I've been tearing my hair out all morning trying to find the error!"

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• on tenterhooks 

• A person who is on tenterhooks is in a state of anxious suspense or excitement.

• "The candidate were kept on tenterhooks for hours while the panel deliberated."

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• thank your lucky stars 

• When someone says they can thank their lucky stars, they are expressing heartfelt gratitude or feeling particularly fortunate.

• "I can thank my lucky stars I wasn't on the train that crashed."

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• think the sun rises and sets on someone 

• If you consider someone to be the most wonderful person in the world, you think the sun rises and sets on them.

• "She adores her husband - she thinks the sun rises and sets on him!" 

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• think the world of someone 

• If you think the world of someone, you like or admire them very much.

• "She's a wonderful grandmother - the children think the world of her." 

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• thinly veiled 

• If something such as a feeling or reaction is thinly veiled, it is barely hidden.

• "The boy's disappointment was thinly veiled when he opened his present." 

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• tongue-tied 

• If you are tongue-tied, you have difficulty in expressing yourself because you are nervous or embarrassed.

• "At the start of the interview I was completely tongue-tied!"

• tug at the heartstrings 

• Something or someone who tugs at the heartstrings causes others to feel a great deal of pity or sadness.

• "The hospital's plea for donors tugged at the heartstrings of millions of viewers." 

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• turn on the waterworks 

• If someone turns on the waterworks, they start to cry, especially to obtain something.

• "If he doesn't get what he wants, the child immediately turns on the waterworks." 

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• over the moon 

• If you are over the moon, you are absolutely delighted.

• "We were all over the moon when we heard the good news."

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• weak at the knees 

• Someone who is weak at the knees is (temporarily) barely able to stand because of emotion, fear or illness.

• "The shock of the announcement make me go weak at the knees!" 

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• wear your heart on your sleeve 

• If you wear your heart on your sleeve, you allow others to see your emotions or feelings.

• "You could see that she was hurt - she wears her heart on her sleeve!" 

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• wish the ground would swallow you up 

• When you are so embarrassed by something that you would like to disappear, you wish the ground would swallow you up.

• "When I realized I was reading the wrong report, I stood there in front of the group wishing the ground would swallow me up!" 

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• be/mean the world to someone 

• When you are or mean the world to someone, you are very important or precious to them.

• "His daughter means all the world to Mr. Jones."

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• written all over face 

• When someone's feelings or thoughts are very clear, you can say that they are written all over their face.

• "Her affection for her grandson was written all over the old lady's face." 

HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN….?

car breaks down on the highway  

being on a crowded train

cooking dinner

when you first wake up in the morning

someone is staring at you

you were a child playing with your toys.  

in grade school / high school

your first day of university

giving birth for the first time.  

fired from your job.  

you're out partying with friends until the morning. 

at your best friend's wedding

you watch something gross and disgusting online

the neighbor is playing music very loudly  

on a sunny winter day / on a cloudy summer day

you have to skip lunch because you have too much work to do

which of these emotions have you experienced?  

boredom

anxiety

sadness

bilwilderment

surprise

shock

tc

Y loves X: 

carry a torch for X 

fall head over heels in love with X 

have a soft spot for X 

set Y’s heart on X  

Y enjoys X:

paint the town (red) 

raise the roof 

have a ball 

kick (up) Y’s heels 

get a buzz out of X

X annoys Y: get a rise out of Y

X depresses Y : dampen Y’s spirits 

cast a gloom / a shadow over Y 

take the wind out of Y’s sails

cut Y down to size 

give Y a bad / hard time/ the blues

estoy hecho un pincel = i'm fine as a brush?  i'm dressed to kill

estoy niquelado = I´m mint / I'm in mint condition

estas hecho un toro = built like a bull, strong as a bull