have one's heart in one's boots

English

Pronunciation

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Verb

have one's heart in one's boots (third-person singular simple present has one's heart in one's boots, present participle having one's heart in one's boots, simple past and past participle had one's heart in one's boots)

1. (UK, informal) To feel very sad.
2. (informal) To feel very afraid; to be terrified or in dread.

Related terms

• one's heart in one's mouth

Translations

feel very sad

• Finnish: olla allapäin
• French: avoir le moral dans les chaussettes (fr)
• Italian: avere il morale a terra
• Russian: душа в пятки ушла (ru) (duša v pjatki ušla)

See also

• downhearted

Further reading

• “sb s heart is in his her boots”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.
• “have ones heart in ones boots”, in Collins English Dictionary, 2011–present.