Health idioms

Break out in a cold sweat

To break out in a cold sweat is to perspire from anxiety.

• He broke out in a cold sweat when taxmen knocked on his door.

Breathe one’s last

To breathe one’s last is to die.

• He breathed his last after being ill for a long time.

Bring someone round

To bring someone round is to restore them to consciousness.

• Although the doctors tried their best, they couldn’t bring him round.

Bundle of nerves

When you are a bundle of nerves, you are very nervous.

• She was a bundle of nerves on her wedding day.

Burn oneself out

To burn yourself out is to become tired from working too hard.

• After the death of her husband, she had to burn herself out to support her family.

Clean bill of health

A clean bill of health is a report that a person is very healthy.

• The doctor gave her a clean bill of health.

Come down with (something)

To come down with something is to become sick with it.

• My daughter came down with a cold yesterday.

Couch doctor

A couch doctor is a psychoanalyst.

• I think she should see a couch doctor.

Die a natural death

To die a natural death is to die of old age.

• She was eighty-five and died a natural death.

A dose of one’s own medicine

When you get a dose of your own medicine, you get the same treatment that you give to others.

• The boy who bullied us got a dose of his own medicine.