30 Idioms for Love: Exploring the Quirky Language of Emotion

Love, a four-letter word with a world of emotions behind it, has a language all its own. Beyond the conventional expressions, there’s a vibrant array of idioms that paint love in unique hues.

In this exploration, we’ll unravel the idiosyncrasies of love, understanding how phrases like “To wear your heart on your sleeve” or “Love is a battlefield” contribute to the rich tapestry of emotions.

What is an Idiom for Love?

Idioms are phrases whose meanings aren’t deducible from the individual words they contain. In the context of love, these idioms add a poetic and often humorous dimension to our understanding of relationships.

Let’s dive into the meanings behind some of the most intriguing idioms for love:

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Created by Dr. Julia Rossi

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1 / 20

What is a simile?

A) A comparison using "like" or "as".

B) A direct comparison without using "like" or "as".

C) An exaggerated statement.

D) A figure of speech that gives human qualities to non-human things.

2 / 20

Identify the simile in the following sentence: “She swims like a fish.”

A) She swims

B) like a fish

C) swims like

D) a fish

3 / 20

What is a metaphor?

A) A comparison that uses "like" or "as".

B) A direct comparison that does not use "like" or "as".

C) An expression that means something other than the literal meanings of its words.

D) A word that sounds like its meaning.

4 / 20

Which of the following is a metaphor?

A) He is as brave as a lion.

B) Her tears were a river flowing down her cheeks.

C) She runs like the wind.

D) He barked orders at his team.

5 / 20

What is an idiom?

A) A literal expression.

B) A comparison using "like" or "as".

C) A group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words.

D) A direct comparison without using "like" or "as".

6 / 20

What does the idiom “break the ice” mean?

A) To literally break ice.

B) To start a conversation in a social setting.

C) To cool down a situation.

D) To freeze something quickly.

7 / 20

What is an adjective?

A) A word that describes or modifies a noun.

B) A word that shows action.

C) A word that replaces a noun.

D) A word that connects words together.

8 / 20

Choose the adjective in the following sentence: “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”

A) quick, brown

B) jumps

C) over

D) dog

9 / 20

What is an abbreviation?

A) A shortened form of a word or phrase.

B) A long form of a word.

C) A word used to describe another word.

D) A word used in place of a noun.

10 / 20

What does the abbreviation “e.g.” stand for?

A) End game

B) Exempli gratia (for example)

C) Ergo (therefore)

Estimated guess

11 / 20

What is a verb?

A) A word that describes a noun.

B) A word that indicates action, occurrence, or existence.

C) A word that connects two parts of a sentence.

D) A word that modifies a verb.

12 / 20

Identify the verb in the following sentence: “The cat sleeps on the sofa.”

A) The

B) cat

C) sleeps

D) sofa

13 / 20

“Out of the frying pan into the fire” is an example of:

A) A simile.

B) A metaphor.

C) An idiom.

D) An adjective.

14 / 20

Which of the following is an adjective?

A) Quickly

B) Beautiful

C) Run

D) Under

15 / 20

The abbreviation “NASA” stands for:

A) National Aeronautics and Space Administration

B) North American Space Agency

C) National Association of Space Astronauts

D) None of the above

16 / 20

Choose the metaphor in the following sentence: “Time is a thief.”

A) Time

B) is

C) a thief

D) None of the above

17 / 20

What does the idiom “hit the books” mean?

A) To physically hit books.

B) To start studying.

C) To write a book.

D) To organize books on a shelf.

18 / 20

Which of the following sentences contains a simile?

A) He is a shining star.

B) She danced like there was no tomorrow.

C) Life is a rollercoaster.

D) They moved mountains to be together.

19 / 20

“LOL” is an abbreviation for:

A) Lots Of Love

B) Little Old Lady

C) Long Overdue Library-book

D) Laugh Out Loud

20 / 20

Identify the verb in this sentence: “They whispered secrets into the night.”

A) They

B) secrets

C) whispered

D) night

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Here’s a summarized table of the metaphors discussed in the article:

Comparing love to a cozy blanket on a cold night is like using a simile. To find more comparisons for love, you can check out this list of similes for love: Similes for Love. Similarly, metaphors also describe love in unique ways. If you’re curious, explore some metaphors for love here: Metaphors for Love.

Idioms for Love

1. To wear your heart on your sleeve

Meaning: To show your emotions openly.

In a Sentence: Sarah always wears her heart on her sleeve; you can see exactly how she feels in every expression.

2. Love is blind

Meaning: Being in love can cause you to overlook someone’s faults.

In a Sentence: Despite his flaws, Mary believed in the old adage that love is blind and stuck by his side.

3. Love is a battlefield

Meaning: Love can be difficult and full of struggles.

In a Sentence: Mark and Lisa discovered that, indeed, love is a battlefield, navigating through challenges to strengthen their bond.

4. Love is a rose, with thorns on either side

Meaning: Love can be beautiful, but also painful.

In a Sentence: Jane realized the truth in the saying that love is a rose, as the joy of love came with its share of heartaches.

5. To be head over heels in love

Meaning: To be extremely in love.

In a Sentence: John found himself head over heels in love with Maria from the moment they met.

6. To be smitten

Meaning: To be infatuated or attracted to someone.

In a Sentence: Jenny couldn’t help but be smitten by James’ charm and sense of humor.

7. Love is a many-splendored thing

Meaning: Love is a beautiful and complex emotion.

In a Sentence: They discovered that, indeed, love is a many-splendored thing, with layers of joy, understanding, and compromise.

8. To be love-struck

Meaning: To be overcome with feelings of love.

In a Sentence: Michael was love-struck when he first saw Emily across the crowded room.

9. To be madly in love

Meaning: To be deeply and passionately in love.

In a Sentence: Laura confessed she was madly in love with Robert, and couldn’t imagine her life without him.

10. To have butterflies in your stomach

Meaning: To have nervous excitement about someone you are attracted to.

In a Sentence: Before their first date, Sam had butterflies in his stomach, unsure of how it would go.

11. To be sweet on someone

Meaning: To have feelings of love or affection for someone.

In a Sentence: Sarah admitted she was sweet on Jake, blushing at the mere mention of his name.

12. To be in love with love

Meaning: To be attracted to the idea of being in love, rather than a specific person.

In a Sentence: Alex realized he was in love with love, always seeking that romantic spark but never settling down.

13. To be a hopeless romantic

Meaning: To be someone who believes in true love and romantic gestures.

In a Sentence: Even after several heartbreaks, Amanda remained a hopeless romantic, still believing in love at first sight.

14. To be swept off your feet

Meaning: To be overwhelmed by someone’s charm or affection.

In a Sentence: Chris couldn’t believe how quickly he was swept off his feet by Samantha’s charisma.

15. To be the apple of someone’s eye

Meaning: To be someone’s favorite or most cherished person.

In a Sentence: Jessica felt like the apple of David’s eye, cherished and adored in every way.

16. To be love-sick

Meaning: To feel physically ill or distressed due to being in love or missing someone you love.

In a Sentence: During their long-distance relationship, Mike often felt love-sick, yearning for the presence of his partner.

17. To be in seventh heaven

Meaning: To be extremely happy, often because of being in love.

In a Sentence: After their engagement, Sarah was in seventh heaven, radiating happiness in every step.

18. To be in Cupid’s grip

Meaning: To be under the influence or control of love.

In a Sentence: Jack found himself in Cupid’s grip, unable to resist the magnetic pull of love towards Lily.

19. To be lovey-dovey

Meaning: To be affectionate and demonstrative of love towards someone.

In a Sentence: Amy and Tom couldn’t help but be lovey-dovey, always holding hands and stealing quick kisses.

20. To be the object of someone’s affection

Meaning: To be the person that someone loves or is attracted to.

In a Sentence: Jonathan felt honored to be the object of Rachel’s affection, knowing she cared for him deeply.

21. To be love-struck

Meaning: To be struck or smitten with love for someone.

In a Sentence: Sophie was love-struck the moment she laid eyes on Jake, feeling an instant connection.

22. To be a love magnet

Meaning: To attract love or romantic attention easily.

In a Sentence: Mark seemed to be a love magnet, effortlessly drawing admirers with his magnetic personality.

23. To be a match made in heaven

Meaning: To be a couple that is well-suited and meant to be together.

In a Sentence: Sarah and Peter were a match made in heaven, complementing each other perfectly.

24. To be love-blind

Meaning: To be unable to see the faults of someone you are in love with.

In a Sentence: Despite his flaws, Emily was love-blind, seeing only the best in her partner.

25. To be love-bitten

Meaning: To be infatuated or bitten by the love bug.

In a Sentence: James found himself love-bitten, unable to concentrate on anything but thoughts of Emma.

26. To be love-shy

Meaning: To be anxious or hesitant about falling in love or expressing love.

In a Sentence: After a series of heartbreaks, Kate became love-shy, fearing the vulnerability that came with opening her heart.

27. To be love-starved

Meaning: To be lacking in love or affection.

In a Sentence: Tom felt love-starved after a long period of solitude, craving the warmth of companionship.

28. To be love-sickened

Meaning: To be made sick or distressed by love.

In a Sentence: Rebecca became love-sickened after a breakup, the pain of heartache affecting her well-being.

29. To be love-smitten

Meaning: To be struck with love or infatuation.

In a Sentence: Mike was love-smitten from the first date, unable to stop thinking about Emily.

30. To be love-tamed

Meaning: To be tamed or calmed by the influence of love.

In a Sentence: Susan felt love-tamed by Alex’s presence, finding solace and calmness in their relationship.

Here are 10 quiz questions about metaphors for love:

1. Question: What does the metaphor “Love is blind” suggest?
   • A. Love can see everything clearly.
   • B. Love overlooks someone’s faults.
   • C. Love is only for those who are visually impaired.
   • D. Love can only happen in the dark.
2. Question: When someone is said to be “wearing their heart on their sleeve,” what does it mean?
   • A. They have a heart-shaped tattoo.
   • B. They openly show their emotions.
   • C. They are heartbroken.
   • D. They wear heart-themed clothing.
3. Question: The metaphor “Love is a battlefield” implies that:
   • A. Love is easy.
   • B. Love requires strategic planning.
   • C. Love can be challenging and full of struggles.
   • D. Love is a peaceful journey.
4. Question: If you are “head over heels in love,” what does that mean?
   • A. You’re dizzy.
   • B. You’re extremely in love.
   • C. You’re ready for a breakup.
   • D. You’re not interested in love.
5. Question: What does the metaphor “To be smitten” mean?
   • A. To be angry.
   • B. To be infatuated or attracted to someone.
   • C. To be sad.
   • D. To be indifferent.
6. Question: If someone is described as “love-struck,” what are they?
   • A. Physically hit by love.
   • B. Overwhelmed with feelings of love.
   • C. Unaffected by love.
   • D. Ready to break up.
7. Question: What does the metaphor “Love is a many-splendored thing” convey?
   • A. Love is simple.
   • B. Love is complex and beautiful.
   • C. Love has many flaws.
   • D. Love is boring.
8. Question: When you have “butterflies in your stomach” about someone, what does it mean?
   • A. You’re afraid of them.
   • B. You’re hungry.
   • C. You have nervous excitement about someone you’re attracted to.
   • D. You feel ill.
9. Question: What does it mean to be “in Cupid’s grip”?
   • A. Being physically restrained.
   • B. Being under the influence or control of love.
   • C. Avoiding love.
   • D. Being a professional archer.
10. Question: If someone is “love-blind,” what can they not see?
    • A. The future of their relationship.
    • B. The faults of someone they’re in love with.
    • C. Other people in love.
    • D. The color red.

Answers:

1. B, 2. B, 3. C, 4. B, 5. B, 6. B, 7. B, 8. C, 9. B, 10. B

Conclusion

In the world of love, language goes beyond mere words. Idioms, with their unique ability to capture the essence of complex emotions, enrich our understanding of the human heart. From being love-struck to feeling love-sickened, these phrases add depth and color to the ever-evolving canvas of love.

So, the next time you find yourself in Cupid’s grip, remember the whimsical world of idioms that beautifully articulate the many facets of love. After all, love is not just spoken; it’s also wonderfully idiosyncratic.