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Air Head - This saying is originally from the 1940's and referred to a secured area in hostile territory used to bring in and evacuate troops and supplies by air.
Idiom Gallery
Over 100 idiom designs to choose from! All designs are available in cards and prints, and many designs are listed on their gift page. See images below for details. Click on image for larger version. Hover over the image for the meaning and history of the idiom.
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Alphabet Soup - Initialisms and acronyms, especially when used excessively.
Apple of my Eye - Deuteronomy 32:10 and other books of the bible.
You are what you eat - In an essay entitled Concerning Spiritualism and Materialism, 1863, Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach wrote: “Der Mensch ist, was er ißt.” That translates into English as “man is what he eats”.
Butterflies in my stomach - An anxious or “fluttery” feeling in your stomach.
Big Fish in a Small Pond - From the 1800’s: This refers to someone with a lot of potential and talent,
Button Your Lip - This 20th century American saying came from the idea that you could button or zip your lip to keep from talking.
1 - Alphabet Soup
Available in 
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2 - Apple of my Eye

3 - U R what U eat
Also available in 
Mugs & Coaster Set
4 - Butterflies in my Stomach

5 - Big Fish in a 
Small Pond

6 - Button your Lip

Alphabet Soup - Spoken by Jesus at the sermon on the mount: to share something of value with someone who does not appreciate it.
Caught with your Pants Down - Being caught in an awkward situation.
Chicken Feed - A small amount of anything, especially of money.
Copy Cat - Since 1896. A person (or animal) that mimics or repeats the of another. May derive from kittens that learned by imitating the behaviors of their mothers.
Don't Count your Chickens - Don’t be hasty in evaluating one’s assets.The thought was recorded in print by Thomas Howell in New Sonnets and pretty Pamphlets, 1570: “Counte not thy Chickens that unhatched be, Waye wordes as winde, till thou finde certaintee.”
Dropping like Flies - Falling down ill or dead in large numbers. The earliest printed version found is in The Atlanta Constitution newspaper, May 1902: “I saw men and women rushing back and forth within the flames. They would run along, then came the choking smoke and they would drop like dead flies.”
7 - Casting Pearls Before Swine

8 - Caught with your Pants Down
Also vailable in Mugs
9 - Chicken Feed

10 - Copy Cat

11 - Don't Count your Chickens

12 - Dropping Like Flies

Nest Egg - From the 14th century. A china egg was placed in a nest to encourage a hen to lay. The hen would produce more eggs - or multiply the original investment of one egg.
Over my Head - A risky situation that could lead to failure;
Pie in the Sky - Used in 1910 in ‘The Preacher and the Slave,’
Pretty Kettle of Fish - Also, a fine kettle of fish. From the early 1700’s. An unpleasant or messy predicament. This term alludes to the Scottish riverside picnic called kettle of fish, where freshly caught salmon were boiled and eaten out of hand. The history of Tom Jones, 1749: “Fine doings at my house! A rare kettle of fish I have discovered at last.” And yes, I know an Orca is not a fish....
Raining Cats and Dogs - Used in 1653, when Richard Brome’s comedy The Woman Wears the Breeches referred to stormy weather with the line: “It shall raine... Dogs and Polecats”.
Too Many Cooks - n the kitchen (or) will spoil the broth. This idiom comes from the 1500’s and it’s creator knew that one master chef could make a delicious meal, but if too many chefs cooked it at the same time, it would surely be ruined.
19 - Nest Egg

20 - Over my Head

21 - Pie in the Sky

22 - Pretty Kettle of Fish

24 - Too Many Cooks
Also available in 
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Eating High on the Hog - 1800’s: It alludes to the choicest cuts of meat,
Heart of Gold - Someone with a heart of gold is a genuinely kind and caring person. The heart is the vital center and source of ones being, emotions, and sensibilities. Earliest mention is in Kings in the Old Testament; Queen of Sheba spoke to Soloman from her heart about his wisdom and was so impressed that she gave him 120 talents of gold and other treasures.
Holy Cow - This expression is used to express strong feelings of astonishment, pleasure, or anger.
Horse of a Different Color - William Shakespear used a similar phrase in Twelfth Night in 1601. A “horse” stands for an existing idea and “color” means a new thought.
Lucky Charm - From the Celts, symbolizes sudden good fortune.
13 - Eating High on the Hog
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14 - Heart of Gold

15 - Holy Cow
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23 - Raining Cats and Dogs
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Name drop available.
16 - Horse of a Different Color
Also available in 
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17 - Lucky Charm

When Pigs Fly - When something is very unlikely to happen. It seems to have been a traditional Scottish proverb, which was first written down in 1586 in an edition of John Withal’s English-Latin dictionary for children. Another version is more famous, because it appears in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll: ”I’ve a right to think,” sys Alice.” Just about as much right”, said the Queen, “as a pig has to fly”.
Sweet Tooth - From the 1300s, although it then referred not only to sweets but other delicacies as well.
Egg on my Face - To have egg on one’s face is to look foolish or be embarrassed. This expression possibly alludes to dissatisfied audiences pelting performers with raw eggs. From the mid-1900’s.
Cash Cow - A product or business that generates a continuous and dependable flow of money or a high proportion of overall profits. Although this precise term dates only from about 1970, milch cow was used in exactly the same way from 1601.
Pea Brain - Someone who doesn’t think before speaking. was used in exactly the same way from 1601. It was used by the American journalist Howard K. Smith in 1942, in his book “Last Train from Berlin.”
25 - Whale of a Time
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Name drop available.
26 - When Pigs Fly
Also available in 
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27 - Sweet Tooth
Also available in 
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28 - Egg on my Face
Also available in 
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30 - Pea-Brain

29 - Cash Cow

Whale of a Time - American slang from 1910 - the whale being the largest creature on earth, a whale of anything is a very large amount.
Half-Ass - An attempt to do something lacking energy and enthusiasm. The term “half-ass” evolved from “half-adz.” An adz is an axelike tool with a curved blade used for shaping wood. If you were wealthy and paid top-dollar for a new fireplace, the mantle would be shaped using an adz in the front as well as the back side, which isn’t visible. However, if you weren’t wealthy and wanted to save money, you could have only the front visible portion of the mantle shaped, this cheaper job being a “half-adz” job.
Blow Your Mind - If something “blows your mind”, you find it extremely surprising and exciting. Another defination is to alter your mind, especially through drug use. This became a commonplace saying and slogan in the 1960’s hippie era. One of the first references to it is from October 1965, when it appeared in Ohio newspaper The Sunday Messenger - in Jack Thomas’ Music Guide Top Ten: “Pick Hit of the Week - Blow Your Mind - The Gas Co.”
On Top of the World - When something great happens to you or when you are feeling wonderful. This is also a song from The Carpenters in 1972 and re-sung by Lynn Anderson, country-western singer. Both songs went gold!
Social Butterfly - If you’ve ever watched a butterfly, you’ll see that they busily work a garden, flitting from flower to flower to glean a little nectar before moving on. By being so busy, they seem quite “social”.
The Big Cheese - From Sir Henry Yule’s 1886 The Anglo-Indian Dictionary, the expression derives from the Persian or Hindi word chiz, meaning quite simply a thing. Anglo-Indians might say something like “Jeff is the real chiz.” Brits living in India adopted the term, converting chiz into something more English. In the 19th century the meaning was “Anything good, first-rate in quality, genuine, pleasant or advantageous” is in John Camden Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary, from 1863.
31 - It's a Small World

32 - Half-Ass

33 - Blow Your Mind
Also available in 
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Name drop available.
34 - On Top of the World
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36 - The Big Cheese
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35 - Social Butterfly
Available in 
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Magnet Set
It's a Small World - When you see the same people in different places ... It’s A Small World (Disney style) traces its origins to the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair and the infamous song was written by the Sherman Brothers. It was created as a salute to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Red Herring - To divert attention away from an item of significance. The earliest reference found is “He eteþ no ffyssh But heryng red.” From the 1400’s. There is no such species as a “red” herring. It is actually a kipper (that may or may not be a herring) that has been pickled or smoked and turns red in color. Some say these pungent fish were used to train young scent dogs. Trainers would draw a smoked herring across the track to teach hounds not to be distracted from other scents. Another thought is that British fugitives in the 1800’s would rub a herring across their trail in order to divert the bloodhounds that were following them.
Go Bananas! - To act crazy. Lexicographer J. E. Lighter believes this expression alludes to the similar go ape, in that apes and other primates are associated with eating bananas. Used beginning in the second half of 1900’s.
Hats Off! - If I take off my hat to you, it’s a sign that you deserve great respect, honor or admiration. It has long been a tradition among men to take one’s hat off in entering a house or business office or church, in the presence of a woman, or when things deserving reverence or honor are present. This tradition may have begun when men doffed their hats to show that they were not carrying a hidden weapon.
Baby Steps - When a baby learns to get around, they begin by scooting, then crawling, then walking. When they take their first steps they are very small and tentative. This way they can learn without stumbling. By taking “baby steps”, you approach something slowly or cautiously instead of “jumping headfirst” into something new.
Pennies from Heaven - Unexpected good fortune. “The IRS sent us a refund - pennies from heaven! It’s also a song sung by many famous singers from Jerry Garcia to Bing Crosby.
37 - 3 Dog Night

38 - Red Herring

39 - Go Bananas!

40 - Hats Off!

42 - Pennies from Heaven

41 - Baby Steps

Three Dog Night - How cold is it? Often when ranchers or cowboys were out on the range they would have to sleep with their dogs to keep warm. A one dog night was a night when he had to share body heat with one dog, two dog night was two dogs and a three dog night was an extremely cold night where he would have to share the warmth with three dogs.
Toot your own Horn - Historically, a horn or trumpet would sound before a big announcement was coming to get everyone’s attention. So to “toot” a horn you are announcing how well you or someone else did.
2 Peas in a Pod - A popular way to describe two people or items that appear close or similar including best friends, twins, siblings, lovers or people in a close relationship who share likes and dislikes. It derives from the fact that two peas from the same pod are nearly identical and unable to be distinguished from one another. Also, that they are positioned right next to each other. Versions of the phrase “two peas in a pod” date back to as early as the 16th century. In Tudor England, “pease” was the singular form, with the word “pea” coming into use in the 17th century.
A Stitch in Time - Also, “the early bird catches the worm”. Based on Anglo Saxon work ethics that encourage one to not put off something tomorrow that can be done today. This term and is earlier recorded in 1732 by Thomas Fuller, an English historian who wrote “A Stitch in Time May save nine.” The stitch in time is simply the sewing up of a small hole in a piece of material and so saving the need for more stitching at a later date, when the hole has become larger, The first users of this expression were referring to saving nine stitches.
Reach for the Stars - If you reach for the stars, or the moon, you are aiming to achieve something great, or do something very challenging. The phrase has origins with the classical Roman poet Virgil, who wrote sic itur ad astra (“thus you shall go to the stars,”) from the book "Aeneid".
Juggling Life - career, family, responsibilities, housework, pets.....to name a few. Trying to do too many things at once!
43 - Goody Two-Shoes

44 - Toot Your Own Horn

45 - 2 Peas in a Pod

46 - A Stitch in Time

48 - Juggling Life
Available in 
Mugs
47 - Reach for the Stars

Goody Two-Shoes - This phrase derives from the title of the nursery tale “The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes”, which was published in 1765. ‘Goody Two-Shoes’ is the name given to Margery Meanwell, a poor orphan. She is so poor she possesses only one shoe and is so delighted when given a pair of shoes by a rich gentleman that she keeps repeating “‘Goody, two shoes, see, two shoes’’ to everyone she met. By virtue of hard work she makes good and marries a wealthy widower so her goodness and virtue were rewarded.
Snail Mail - From the 1980’s, referring to our ordinary postal service, as opposed to electronic communications. This slangy idiom, alluding to the alleged slowness of the snail, caught on at least partly for its rhyme.
Drama Queen - Used more to describe any exaggeratedly dramatic person, especially female. This idiom was accepted by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary in 1996 as a “new word”.
The World is your Oyster - If you have money, education or talent, you can achieve anything you want. If the world is your oyster, then it is a place where you can get something of great value with ease. Oysters produce pearls, objects of great value. Once you have the oyster, it gives up the pearl without much of a fight. This first appears in Shakespeare’s play ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ in 1600. Falstaff says, “I will not lend thee a penny.” Pistol replies, “Why, then, the world’s mine oyster, Which I with sword will open.”
Left High & Dry - To be left without any help at all. It is a nautical term which stems from a ship being left grounded on a low tide. With the ship in this condition, the captain was powerless to resolve his situation until the tide returned and refloated his ship. This term originally referred to ships that were beached. The ‘dry’ implies that, not only were they out of the water, but had been for some time and could remain so. It was used in a ‘Ship News’ column in The [London] Times, August 1796: The Russian frigate Archipelago, yesterday got aground below the Nore at high water, which; when the tide had ebbed, left her nearly high and dry.”
Dive Right In - Also, go in head first, or jump in with both feet are all ways of saying you may not be thinking before you act! From the thought that if someone “dives right in” without checking the water, something unexpected may be waiting for them...
49 - The Pot Calling the Kettle Black

50 - Snail Mail

51 - Drama Queen
Available in 
Mugs
52 - The World is your Oyster
Available in 
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Coaster Set, Magnet Set & Framed Tiles
54- Dive Right In
Available in 
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53 - Left High and Dry

Pot Calling the Kettle Black - The first person who used it in English was William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, in his 1693 writing of Some Fruits of Solitude in Reflections and Maxims, which is a book of popular sayings of wisdom of pre-Revolutionary America: “For a Covetous Man to inveigh against Prodigality... is for the Pot to call the Kettle black.” The meaningof this old idiom is to say something about someone else which is actually true of you yourself...
Don't let the Cat out of the Bag - To let someone in on a secret. This could be related to the fact that in England in the Middle Ages, piglets were usually sold in bags at markets. There were more cats around than pigs, so sometimes someone may try to cheat a buyer by putting a cat in one of the bags instead of a piglet. And if someone let the cat out of the bag, the scoundrels’ secret was revealed.
I've a Bee in my Bonnet - If you are very excited, obsessed or preoccupied about something, you have a “bee in your bonnet”.It follows on from the earlier expression - ‘to have bees in one’s head’, which had much the same meaning and is recorded in 1513 in Aeneis by Alexander Douglas. The exact quote is “Quhat bern be thou in bed with heid full of beis?”
Don't Open a Can of Worms - To get involved with something that is messy and perhaps better to be left alone... The basis for this idioms’ origin may have come from real cans with actual worms in them, collected as bait for fishing. If the can is open, the live worms can crawl out and be difficult to put back. If you open a can that contained a mass of wriggling worms, you may want to leave it alone...
Ace in the Hole - Having an ace in the hole means you have a good move or argument to use later at a strategic time in order to win. In certain games of poker, some cards are dealt such that they are not visible to the other players, and the slang expression for these cards is called “the hole”. Having an “ace” (or a high card) in “the hole” can provide one with a winning advantage when the cards are finally revealed.
Horsing Around - To act in a silly way. A horse does love a good frolic, running and charging around to release energy, and sometimes there is little warning that a horse is going to bolt.
55 - Head Over Heels
Available in 
Coaster Set
56 - Don't Let the Cat Out of the Bag
Available in 
Coaster Set
57 - I've a Bee in my Bonnet

58 - Don't Open a Can of Worms

60 - Horsing Around

59 - Ace in the Hole

Head Over Heels - In the fourteenth century, it was written as “heels over head”, which makes a lot more sense. Logically, it meant to be upside down, or, as to turn heels over head. Otherwise, we spend most of our waking moments “head over heels”. Today, it means to be madly in love.
Cock & Bull Story - A tall tale or a false account of something. This is from old English - “a concocted and bully story”. “Concocted” was shortened to “cock”, and “bully” meant “exaggerated”. Another possible origin is from two old Inns near Northampton, England. One was called “The Cock” and the other “The Bull”. As clients strolled in and out of the two Inns (becoming more inebriated) the stories grew to become “Cock & Bull Stories”.
Drink like a Fish - Clearly based on fishes’ close association with water and their continuous gulping of water in order to breath. The phrase is known since 1633 and appears in Fletcher and Shirley’s comedic play “The Night Walker” or “The Little Thief”. “Give me the bottle, I can drink like a Fish...”
Feeling Blue - Low spirits or feeling sad... One of the origins for feeling “blue” could be a reference to having a fit of the “blue devils”, meaning down spirits, and sadness. An early reference to “the blues” can be found in George Colman’s Blue Devils, a one-act comedy from 1798.
Under the Weather - To be unwell. This originates from a maritime source. When a sailor was unwell, he was sent down below, under the deck and away from the weather, to help his recovery. More unpleasant -- a sea-sick sailor was sent “under the weather bow”. Unfortunately for the sailor, the weather bow is whichever side of the ship all the rotten weather is blowing...
Saw some Z's....
61 - Your Goose is Cooked
Available in 
Coaster Set
62 - A Cock & Bull Story

63 - Drink Like a Fish
Available in 
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Coaster Set, Magnet Set & Framed Tiles 
64 - Feeling Blue

66 - Saw some Z's

65 -  Under the Weather

Your Goose is Cooked - All hope is gone; there is no possibility of success. There are no clear origins for this idiom but some think that it comes from a particular instance in the 16th century in which the inhabitants of a besieged town in the sixteenth century hung out a goose to show their attackers they were not starving and so enraged them that they set fire to the town and thus “cooked the goose”.
Under Pressure - Also, “under a deadline” or “under the gun” Facing something very difficult such as a task or a deadline or feeling that there is too much to do. A song under the working title “Feel Like” became “Under Pressure” by Queen & David Bowie in 1981.
Top Dog - The most important and powerful person in a group. Early references (1859) are used in describing “pit-sawing”, where one man is on top of the pit with the top of the saw and the other man at the bottom, hence (“top” dog and “bottom” or “under” dog. References before this though refer to literal dog fights, in which the dog on top is clearly getting the better of the one on the bottom.
Knuckle Head - From the 1930's. Refers to either a stubborn (hard-headed) person OR a person of questionable intelligence. (The size of the brain being given the relative size of a human knuckle.) Also, an engine produced by the Harley Davidson Motorcycle Company from 1936 to 1947. The engine has an overhead-valve v-twin design with covers on the valves that resembled knuckles -- hence the name of “knucklehead”. And even more... in 1942, from character R.F. Knucklehead, star of the “Don’t” posters hung up at U.S. Army Air Force training fields
Falling in Love - The use of the term “fall” implies that the process is in some way risky, inevitable, uncontrollable, or irreversible. Much like “falling ill” or even “falling down”. You can’t help it!
Hell on Wheels - To behave in a wild, aggressive or mean way.This idiom came about when the Union Pacific Railroad was built in the 1860’s. As the track was built and extended, the last town was packed up and put on the freight cars. This carried the workers, gamblers, prostitutes, preachers, and any other followers as well as tents and all belongings to the next stop on the line.
68 - Boob Tube

69 - Under Pressure

70 - Top Dog

71 - Knuckle Head

73 - Hell on Wheels

72 - Falling in Love

Boob Tube - The word “boob” traces from the Spanish bobo meaning stupid. TV’s used to have tubes instead of electronics inside - so were called “tubes”. The “boob-tube” is a term from the 1960’s to refer to television, with the thought that watching too much television made you a boob...
74 - Raising Hell 

Raising Hell - Also, to “raising Cain” or “raising the devil”, meaning to make noise or cause trouble. According the Genesis in the Bible, Cain was the first murderer when he killed his brother Abel. In the 1500’s the word “raise” implied to “conjure up” a spirit. So if you are raising hell or raising Cain you are causing some sort of mischief or violence.
Bless your Heart - or “Bless your little ol’ cotton-pickin’ heart”. This idiom is from the South and it has two meanings.... One way is to be used in a literal or positive way such as God bless you, I’m so sorry, or good luck. The other can be sarcastic - so anywhere from “isn’t that just sweet” to “you poor fool, I can’t believe you did that”. I’m from the South and I prefer the positive meaning. So bless your heart for sending someone this card.
67 - Bless Your Heart

75 - Time Flies

Time Flies - ...when you’re having fun! When you are having fun or are very busy time moves quickly and often unnoticed. Time flies originates around 70 BC with the Roman poet Vergil who wrote that “Tempus fugit” or “time flees”. Also, a movie from 1944 and numerous music albums from a wide variety of artists including Huey Lewis and Billy Ray Cyrus.
Check back for new idioms!
Spring Chicken - This idiom is from the mid-1800’s. Spring Chicken refers to a young chicken, about 1-2 years old. For people, this means that the person is young or inexperienced in the ways of the world. But, you may hear this phrase used more as “she’s NO spring chicken”, meaning that the person is older and more experienced, or perhaps has “been around the block a time or two…”
More Fun than a Barrel of Monkeys - Something that is fun or very amusing much like the playful behavior of these primates. In 1896, the Los Angeles Times printed a news article titled, “At The Play House” that reported: “the merry little dwarf, is as funny as a barrel of monkeys when he does nothing but walk around the stage...” Earlier in 1895, The Chicago Tribune reported about the Republican Convention in Syracuse, New York that wrote that the affair was "more fun than a barrel of monkeys".
Happy as a Clam - ...at high tide. At high tide, clams are the safest from their predators. And open clams seem to have the appearance of smiling. The phrase originated in the north-eastern USA in the early 19th century. The earliest citation found is from a memoir called The Harpe’s Head - A Legend of Kentucky, 1833: “It never occurred to him to be discontented... He was as happy as a clam.”
Just a Little Crabby - Acting in a cross or grouchy kind of way. Have you ever watched a group of crabs? They act quite cross with each other - always using their claws to pinch and battle each other.
Home, Sweet Home - This well known saying is from a song that has been around for over 150 years. It has been used in other songs including one from the Motley Crue in the original song’s melody was composed by Englishman Sir Henry Bishop with lyrics by Payne. And it goes like this: “Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home...”
Dressed to Kill - Some thoughts for this idiom refer to the middle ages and knights being dressed for battle. It took a long time to get “suited up” in armor, and the knight had to have assistance doing it! Afterwards, they were ready for battle and “dressed to kill”. Today, it means you are dressed for a purpose; either a really big night out, job interview or just to show how great you look! This idiom also has been the title of many movies (1928, American silent film starring Mary Astor), books, music and even comedy routines.
76 - Spring Chickens

77 - More Fun Than a
Barrel of Monkeys

78 - Happy as a Clam
79 - Just a Little Crabby

80 - Home Sweet Home

81 - Dressed to Kill

Big Shoes to Fill - "Filling someone's shoes" is to have to meet high expectations about something that came before. You use this expression when the first person did a good job. If that person was really good at their job, you might say that you have some big shoes to fill.
At the End of my Rope - To be stuck in a situation or to run out of options. A rope can be thrown to someone who is in a difficult situation, such as being in deep water or hanging on the ledge of a cliff. If there is not enough rope, the person may be in trouble. If that is the case, you may be able to help them with a “life line”! The earliest reference to “end of rope” is the 1500’s in “To a rope's-end, sir; and to that end am.” from “Comedy of Errors” by Shakespeare.
Hold your Horses - This idiom is typically used when someone is rushing into something. "Hold your horses" literally means to keep your horse still, and not go forward or slow down with what you are planning to do. Usually there is an explanation after the saying it like “Hold your horses, we are not ready to go yet”. An early reference is from Homers “Iliad” in 8th century BC when referring to Antilochus driving wildly in a chariot race that Achilles initiates in the funeral games for Patroclus.
On the Ball - The original saying was “put something on the ball”, in that unusual speed or a deceptive motion was used by the pitcher when throwing the baseball. From 1909: “Cates had something on the ball. The two innings he worked he had the Pirates buffaloed.” An earlier expression was to “Always keep your eye on the ball” from the mid 1800’s. By the 1930s, it was used to mean somebody who was especially alert or capable at what they are doing.
Party Animal - A gregarious, highly sociable person. Also, animals are wild. Therefore, in a party, if you go crazy you might be looking like an animal. The Oxford English Dictionary added the entry for “party animal” in 2005. The earliest quotation found is from 1978, when the slang lexicographer Jonathan Lighter recorded hearing the term in “Saturday Night Live”
82 -  Big Shoes to Fill
83 - At the End of my Rope
84 - Hold your Horses
85 - On the Ball
86 - Party Animal
All Idiom art and designs © Idiom Art And Gifts - Lori H Barrett 2009-2015. 

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Brain Storm - From the 1890’s – originally thought of as a mental disorder. Now used to suggest sudden ideas formed quickly before considering them more carefully.
Egg Head - Used to describe intellectuals and studious people. The association is simple – intellectuals are believed to lose their hair because of their studious habits. And if you lose your hair you appear to have an egg-shaped head – therefore you look like an “egghead”. Used in 1918 among Chicago Newspapermen and became popular in 1952 when used by Richard Nixon to describe Adlai Stevenson. Also, a genius master criminal, played by Vincent Price, in an animated TV series “Batman: The Brave and The Bold.”
Need it like a Hole in the Head - Oxford English Dictionary says the phrase “to need (something) like a hole in the head” is “applied to something not desired at all or something useless.” This expression is similar to another, older saying, "As much need of it as he has of the pip or of a cough," from John Ray's English Proverbs (1678). “A Hole in the Head” is also a comedy film from 1959, directed by Frank Capra and featuring Frank Sinatra.
Level Headed - First used in the mid-1800's. A person who has good common sense, is calm and even-tempered. Someone who can remain rational and fully in control in a difficult situation or emergency.
Light Headed - The origin of this word is from the 1530’s. You can have a “light-headed” personality or feel “light-headed” when you have too much wine! To act silly or frivolous or to feel giddy or dizzy.
93 - Brain Storm
94 - Egg Head
95 - Need it like a Hole in the Head
96 - Level Headed
97 - Light Headed
Air Head - This saying is originally from the 1940's and referred to a secured area in hostile territory used to bring in and evacuate troops and supplies by air. These days we use it to describe a scatterbrained or silly person.
I'm All Ears - From the 1700's. Since you use your ears to hear, you are “all ears” if you are keenly listening to what someone is saying and are listening only to them.
Bird Brain - Originally from the 1920’s, describing an individual who has difficulty focusing on things going on around them. A Bird-Brain is also considered “flighty”. Also, a character from Marvel Comics published in the 1980’s. Bird-Brain is one of the “Ani-Mate” creatures created by an insane geneticist called Ani-Mator who combines characteristics of animals and human beings.
Block Head - Used as early as the 1540’s to describe the head-shaped wooden block used by hat-makers to shape their hats. This refers to a hard-headed, stubborn or sometimes silly person.
Bone Head - This was first used in 1908 when rookie baseball player Fred Merkle failed to advance to second base (by not tagging it) on what should have been the game winning play. Instead the New York Giants ended up tying with the Chicago Cubs and later lost to them for the National League Pennant. The error became known as “Merkle’s Boner” and earned him the nickname “Bonehead”.This was first used in 1908 when rookie baseball player Fred Merkle failed to advance to second base (by not tagging it) on what should have been the game winning play. Instead the New York Giants ended up tying with the Chicago Cubs and later lost to them for the National League Pennant. The error became known as “Merkle’s Boner” and earned him the nickname “Bonehead”.
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87 - Air Head
88 - I'm All Ears
89 - Bird Brain
90 - Block Head
91 - Bone Head
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Brain Drain - When a thought just “drains” out of your head or you forget what you are saying. This term was originally coined by the Royal Society to describe immigration of scientists, engineers and technologists to North America after WWII. The opposite of this is “brain-gain” when the same type of educated people immigrate into a particular area.
92 - Brain Drain
Mechanically Minded - A person who can understand the details or complexity of something, and how it works.
98 - Mechanically Minded
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It's a no-brainer - Anything requiring little mental effort or thought; or something that is easy to do or understand. This saying is American in origin and one of the first uses was in the 1950s in “The Berrys” cartoon, by Carl Grubert. This printed in the Long Beach Independent, in December 1959, when Pat Berry tells her husband, “Peter! Not another no-brainer!”
Poker Face - To have a straight face showing no emotion. If you show emotion on your face while playing poker, you may give away how good or bad the cards in your hand are. This can also refer to someone who is hiding something but isn’t showing the emotion in their face, body language or voice. Also, a song by Lady Gaga from her debut album, The Fame in 2008.
It's Written all Over your Face - When the expression on someone’s face shows their true feelings or thoughts, such as extreme happiness or distress.
99 - It's a No Brainer
100 - Poker Face
101 - It's Written all Over your Face
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It's Written all Over your Face - When the expression on someone’s face shows their true feelings or thoughts, such as extreme happiness or distress.
102 - Drink Like a Fish (wine)
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