Can we ever see eye to eye? Body language idioms, please.

November 19, 2013 10:40 PM

Trying to think of idioms / phrases that relate to body language, rather than just body parts. One example could be "to raise eyebrows". There must be others, but the web mostly came up with things like "in one ear and out the other", which isn't quite what I wanted. Suggestions appreciated.
posted by Prof Iterole to Writing & Language (28 answers total)

It's very modern, but I suggest *shrug* which refers to shrugging shoulders with a sort of 'who knew?' attitude.

This question's got me kicking up my heels, hopefully I'll be back with more later.
posted by carsonb at 10:46 PM on November 19, 2013

To cringe. To simper.

To look up to. To look down on. To frown on.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 10:47 PM on November 19, 2013

Cold shoulder.
posted by Feisty at 10:52 PM on November 19, 2013

Turns one's nose up.
posted by Feisty at 10:53 PM on November 19, 2013 [1 favorite]

Sideways glance.
posted by Feisty at 10:55 PM on November 19, 2013

Probably what you're after?:
wrinkle your nose [at]
prick up your ears [at]
turn your back on [someone]

Maybe not exactly what you're after?:
give [someone/something] the hairy eyeball
come to you on bended knee
bowing and scraping
[we'll face it] arm in arm, shoulder to shoulder
needing elbow room
made my hair stand on end
embrace [an idea]
hard to swallow
hard to stomach
just hold your nose and [do it]
hold your tongue
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:03 PM on November 19, 2013 [1 favorite]

To dig your heels in...
posted by misspony at 11:35 PM on November 19, 2013

Rub the wrong way.
posted by pickypicky at 11:36 PM on November 19, 2013

to blink [e.g., in negotiations]
she really turned heads [i.e., was good looking]
hold your head up high
chin up
stand tall
keep a stiff upper lip
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:43 PM on November 19, 2013

Get your footing
Point your finger at
Eyeball it
Get your feet wet
Wash your hands of it
Lend an ear
posted by W.S (disambiguation) at 11:55 PM on November 19, 2013

Handwaving away the objections/problems
Liberal hang-wringing
Lean on me
Lean in
posted by anonymisc at 12:38 AM on November 20, 2013

A pain in the ass.
posted by dywypi at 12:54 AM on November 20, 2013 [1 favorite]

roll your eyes
look askance at
close your eyes to
look down on

join hands with

wave away (objections)

jazz hands
posted by nangar at 12:59 AM on November 20, 2013

For several of these, the literal usage is more common, but it's not hard to think of figurative/idiomatic usages:

Look askance
(Metaphorical) eye-rolling
Look down on
Look up to
Wide-eyed
Turn a blind eye
Wink at
Make someone blink (i.e. give up)
Pinch your nose at
Jaw-dropping
(Metaphorically) laughed at
Mouth-breather
(Metaphorically) stick your tongue out
Tongue-wagging
Nail-biting
Nodded off
Keep your chin up
Open arms
Hand on heart
Finger-pointing
Bite your knuckles
Thumbs up
Thumbs down
Play an imaginary violin
Kick to the curb
Kick off
posted by Monsieur Caution at 1:02 AM on November 20, 2013 [1 favorite]

Toe to toe
Face to face
Knocking elbows
Rubbing shoulders
posted by Coaticass at 1:32 AM on November 20, 2013

Walk with your tail between your legs. Stand two feet taller.
posted by MuffinMan at 2:34 AM on November 20, 2013

Stand arms akimbo
make someone's eyeballs pop right out of their head
give someone the finger
posted by drlith at 3:10 AM on November 20, 2013

Was that said tongue in cheek? OK, I'll turn a blind eye to it. Normally that would make me curl my lip, though.

This question's a real head-scratcher. But we'll roll up our sleeves and look it in the eye. I won't back down either.
posted by wjm at 3:18 AM on November 20, 2013 [3 favorites]

Blow somebody off.
posted by jon1270 at 3:38 AM on November 20, 2013

Pay lip service.
To cower down.
Brush your shoulders off.
posted by 0 answers at 4:06 AM on November 20, 2013

toe the line
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 4:11 AM on November 20, 2013

Shit-eating grin.
Pearl-clutching.
Walking with a spring in your step.
Bedroom eyes.
posted by Sticherbeast at 5:38 AM on November 20, 2013

Put your foot in you mouth
Tongue in cheek
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 6:49 AM on November 20, 2013

Turn the other cheek
posted by dizziest at 7:18 AM on November 20, 2013

Go dark under the eyes
Furrow your brow
Wave off
Kick in the pants
Thumb your nose
Slack-jawed
Bosom buddies
Go hand in hand
Backhanded
Left-handed compliment
Sitting there with your thumb up your ass
Walk the straight and narrow
Step lively
Keep your elbows out
posted by HotToddy at 7:24 AM on November 20, 2013

Hey, Hey, Hey, let's not get our asses in an uproar, OK?
posted by Freedomboy at 8:47 AM on November 20, 2013

Give him the stink eye.
posted by cecic at 11:09 AM on November 20, 2013

Rather than just handing you a specific answer, I'll point out that discussions of kinesthetic intelligence or kinesthetic learning styles sometimes have lists of these, in case that's something you would want to track down.

You probably lay eyes on them all the time, but these turns of phrase don't always jump out at you.
posted by yohko at 2:02 PM on November 20, 2013