Chocolate, flowers and love idioms!
Expressing love is an important matter in any language and people do it in a variety of different fashions. What is certain is that when people express their love in words, they often rely on metaphorical and idiomatic language to get their point across. Words used to describe love often reach toward infinities of space and time (“I love you to the moon and back”) to describe how one’s love can transcend limits.
In most cases, outsized language is used to convey to convey strong, intense emotion.
Let us show you how. And what better way to do it than through a collection of love idioms, accompanied by and explanation of their meaning, examples and a story about the origins.
We’ll start this by humming Berlin’s “Take my breath away”. It should set us in the right mood????
- to take someone’s breath away
Meaning
– to astonish; surprise; amaze or astound somebody
– to cause someone to be out of breath because of shock or surprise
– to cause an overwhelming feeling in someone due to something (grandeur, beauty, etc.)
Example :
My wife looked so pretty on our wedding day that she took my breath away.
Origin
The phrase originates from the literal panting of a person when they show breathlessness due to the surprise of seeing something magnificent. Usually used when there is a surprise about the magnificence being expressed.
- sealed with a kiss, also sealed with a loving kiss, SWAK or SWALK (acronym)
Meaning
-written and sent with love and care
Example:
He wrote a beautiful letter to her, and, to further express his love, sealed it with a kiss.
Origin
According to theidioms.com, the acronym of this phrase, SWAK or SWALK, was commonly written on envelopes sent by servicemen to their lovers during the World War I & II. Also, in medieval times, contracts were not considered legal until the signers included an X to represent Saint Andrew and would then kiss the X to prove their sincerity.
- labour of love
Meaning
-a task done for the pleasure of doing it, not for gains or rewards
-hard work done because you enjoy doing it
-work done for pleasure or for the benefit of someone you love
Example:
The aquarium he built for his wife was a labour of love.
Origin
Origin: In Genesis 29:20 the story of Jacob who lived with his Uncle Laban in Mesopotamia. Uncle Laban had 2 daughters – Rachel and Leah. Jacob loved pretty Rachel not ugly Leah. When he asked Laban if he could marry Rachel his uncle agreed under the condition that he would have to work for him for 7 years. On the day of the wedding, Jacob pulled off the bride’s veil revealing ugly Leah instead of Rachel! Jacob was furious and demanded to have Rachel. Tricky Uncle Laban said that Jacob could have Rachel too, only if he worked another 7 years for him. Jacob agreed again and had to labor for 14 years to finally get Rachel, but it was worth it to him.
- a match made in heaven
Meaning
- two people perfectly suited to each other
Example:
Everyone thought that they were a match made in heaven.
Origin
Its origin is quite uncertain. However, the idiom is based on the idea that divine forces have a hand in pairing up two people who are very compatible.
- Wear My Heart on My Sleeve
Meaning:
-Display one’s emotions openly
Example:
My father was raised to be a tough guy so he could never wear his heart on his sleeve.
Origin:
As far as we know, this idiom first appeared in William Shakespeare’s Othello in 1604 when Iago decides to act as if he is „wearing his heart on his sleeve” in order to seem open, honest, and faithful.
Initially, however, the phrase is derived from the Middle Ages when knights would wear colored ribbons on their arms to show which lady they supported and fought for.
The list may continue and we invite you to explore our sources of inspiration below and use these idioms as many times as you feel like it, not just on Valentine’s day!????
Source:
theidioms.com
https://owlcation.com/humanities/Origins-of-Romantic-Idioms-and-Phrases
