Head over heels
Neil: | Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, I'm Neil and ... I am waiting for Li. |
Li: | Ouch. And I'm Li, here on the floor. I went head over heels but ... but I'm ready to present the programme, Neil. |
Neil: | Are you okay, Li? Let me help you up. |
Li: | Thank you. I appreciate you helping me to stand up. |
Neil: | I am sorry that you fell over like that. You sounded so cheerful ... so you are head over heels Li? Who is the lucky guy? |
Li: | The lucky guy? What do you mean, Neil? |
Neil: | Well, the one you are head over heels in love with. Is it anyone I know? |
Li: | Anyone you know? I don't know what you are talking about, Neil. I have just fallen flat on my face ... |
Neil: | You said that you are head over heels. This is an expression we use in English to say that you had such a dramatic fall that your head was over your feet and we use it when we want to say that someone fell madly in love. |
Li: | Oh, that's when we say that someone has fallen head over heels for another person. |
Neil: | You can also imagine you are a gymnast doing somersaults or cartwheels. Your head goes literally over your heels. |
Li: | Yeah ... It makes sense: when you are in love it might mean that you are so happy that you feel like jumping around. |
Examples | |
They met at a dinner party and fell head over heels for each other.
He is gorgeous! I am head over heels in love with him! She is a hopeless romantic: she is always head over heels in love with somebody. | |
Neil: | So, who is it Li? Who have you fallen head over heels in love with? I promise I won't tell a soul. |
Li: | Neil, I came here very excited to present a programme with you but I must say that now my head hurts ... |
Neil: | Your head hurts? |
Li: | ... my feet are sore ... |
Neil: | Your feet are sore? What's been going on? |
Li: | ... but I am certainly not in love with this bin that made me fall over. |
Neil: | Oh ... Okay. So no juicy gossip for us today. Well, we'd better say goodbye. |
Li: | No juicy gossip! And let's finish the programme because I'd better go and have an aspirin. Bye! |