The phrase 'eat somebody's heart out' beats me. Could I use any personal pronoun instead of 'somebody' in this phrase? How do the British use this phrase? Please give me some examples.
Zhang Yishi, China
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In this special spooky edition of Q and A of the Week, Jean and William dig out some gruesome sounds from the BBC FX cupboard.
In fact, the phrase eat your heart out does not have a very grisly meaning. We often use it when we feel very proud of something, to imply that we are better at doing something than a real expert. Look at this dialogue:
A: Why are you looking so pleased with yourself?
B: I've passed my driving test!
A: Yay!
B: Eat your heart out Lewis Hamilton!
"Eat your heart out Lewis Hamilton!"
In English there are many frequently-used idioms relating to the heart. Listen to the programme to find out more about the following phrases:
It's not for the faint-hearted.
To put your heart and soul into something.
To take something to heart.