toe, elbow, neck, shoulder
Toe
| Idiom | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| toe the line | follow rules/ accept authority (often unwillingly) |
Melissa hates her school uniform. She wishes she could at least wear nail polish. But if she wants to get good marks, she has to toe the line and do as she is told. |
| on your toes | ready, alert | Our maths teacher keeps us on our toes by giving us random tests at least twice a month. |
| make someone’s toes curl | a reaction of embarrassment or joy | Seeing my parents kiss is embarrassing. I wish they wouldn’t do it inf front of me, it makes my toes curl. |
Elbow
| Idiom | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| elbow-to-elbow | close together | There must have been 200 school children all standing elbow-to-elbow at the gate, waiting for the bell to ring. |
| give someone the elbow | BrE, reject someone, or end a romantic relationship | Laurence was angry when Rebecca gave him the elbow for another man. |
Neck
| Idiom | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| break your neck to do something | go to extreme effort to do something | I broke my neck trying to finish this report on time and you haven't even said thanks! |
| neck and neck | even or level in a race | The horses were neck and neck until the last 500 metres of the race. |
| neck of the woods | a specific area | — I don't often go to your neck of the woods. —You mean London? |
Shoulder
| Idiom | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| have a chip on your shoulder | resentment or self-consciousness due to a feeling of inferiority | Despite her successful career Kim always had a chip on her shoulder about not going to university. |
| head and shoulders above someone/thing | much better than someone/thing | Although he was the youngest pupil, he was head and shoulders above the rest of the class. |
