Health

20 words

1. 1

   a clean bill of healthidiom/ə ˌkliːn ˈbɪl əv ˈhɛlθ/

   an official statement that someone is completely healthy

   “After the tests he was given a clean bill of health and could travel.”

2. 2

   have butterflies in one's stomachidiom

   to feel nervous or anxious, especially before an important event

   “Before the interview she had butterflies in her stomach.”

3. 3

   kick the bucketidiom/kɪk ðə ˈbʌkɪt/

   to die (informal)

   “After a long illness, he finally kicked the bucket.”

4. 4

   out of sortsidiom/aʊt əv sɔːts/

   slightly unwell or in a bad mood

   “I felt a bit out of sorts after the late-night study session, so I skipped the morning class.”

5. 5

   go under the knifeidiom/ɡəʊ ˌʌn.də ðə ˈnaɪf/

   to have surgery

   “He had to go under the knife to remove the tumour.”

6. 6

   fighting fitidiom/ˈfaɪtɪŋ fɪt/

   very healthy and physically strong; ready for vigorous activity

   “After months of training, he's fighting fit and ready for the competition.”

7. 7

   a bitter pill to swallowidiom/ə ˌbɪt.ər ˈpɪl tə ˈswɒl.əʊ/

   an unpleasant fact or situation that is difficult to accept

   “Losing the championship was a bitter pill to swallow for the whole team.”

8. 8

   burn the candle at both endsidiom

   to work or live at a very busy, tiring pace that harms your health

   “She's been burning the candle at both ends studying and working part-time.”

9. 9

   on the road to recoveryidiom/ɒn ðə rəʊd tuː rɪˈkʌvəri/

   beginning to get better after illness or difficulty

   “After a week in hospital he is finally on the road to recovery.”

10. 10

    in the pinkidiom/ɪn ðə pɪŋk/

    in very good health

    “After his lucky recovery, he's in the pink again.”

11. 11

    be a picture of healthidiom/bi ə ˈpɪktʃə əv hɛlθ/

    to look very healthy and well

    “After months of rehab he was a picture of health.”

12. 12

    feel like a new personidiom/fiːl laɪk ə njuː ˈpɜːsən/

    feel much healthier or happier than before

    “After a week off and lots of sleep, I felt like a new person.”

13. 13

    nurse back to healthidiom/nɜːs bæk tə hɛlθ/

    to take care of someone so that they recover from illness or injury

    “They nursed him back to health after the accident.”

14. 14

    take a turn for the worseidiom

    to become worse, especially suddenly (often about health)

    “The patient's breathing took a turn for the worse overnight.”

15. 15

    at death's dooridiom/ət ˈdɛθs ˌdɔː(r)/

    very ill and close to dying

    “The old man was at death's door after the accident.”

16. 16

    go cold turkeyidiom/ɡəʊ kəʊld ˈtɜːki/

    stop a habit or addiction suddenly and completely

    “He decided to go cold turkey and quit smoking overnight.”

17. 17

    run a temperatureidiom/rʌn ə ˈtɛmprətʃə/

    to have a fever

    “The child started to run a temperature in the evening.”

18. 18

    catch one's breathidiom/kætʃ wʌnz brɛθ/

    to stop briefly to breathe properly after physical effort or shock

    “I had to stop and catch my breath halfway up the hill.”

19. 19

    on a health kickidiom/ɒn ə hɛlθ kɪk/

    following a short period when someone tries to eat or live more healthily

    “After his medical check-up he went on a health kick.”

20. 20

    feel off-colouridiom/fiːl ˌɒfˈkʌlə/

    to feel slightly ill or not entirely well

    “I'm feeling a bit off-colour today, so I won't go to the party.”