Idiom Topics
The Ubiquitous Essentials
10- On the other hand
- At the end of the day
- In the long run
- Bear in mind
- A piece of cake
- Keep an eye on
- Out of the blue
- Rule of thumb
- So far, so good
- Behind the scenes
Everyday Casual & Workplace
10- Under the weather
- Call it a day
- Up in the air
- Wrap your head around
- Break the ice
- Get out of hand
- Go the extra mile
- Touch base
- Hit the nail on the head
- Cut corners
Problem Solving & Interaction
10- See eye to eye
- Read between the lines
- Take it with a grain of salt
- Get the hang of it
- Give the benefit of the doubt
- The elephant in the room
- Hit the ground running
- Play it by ear
- Bite the bullet
- Sit on the fence
Decisions & Perspectives
9- Jump on the bandwagon
- Cross that bridge when we come to it
- The best of both worlds
- A blessing in disguise
- Once in a blue moon
- Pull someone's leg
- Miss the boat
- Better late than never
- Get your act together
Colorful & Traditional
10- Spill the beans
- Let the cat out of the bag
- Bite off more than you can chew
- Go back to the drawing board
- Barking up the wrong tree
- Actions speak louder than words
- A penny for your thoughts
- Break a leg
- Hit the sack
- Beat around the bush
Academic & Formal Discourse
10- Bear fruit
- Pave the way
- Shed light on
- Go hand in hand
- Tip the scales
- Fly in the face of
- Bring to the table
- Turn a blind eye
- Draw a blank
- State of the art
Emotions & Reactions
10- Over the moon
- Down in the dumps
- On edge
- Blow off steam
- Keep your cool
- Drive someone up the wall
- On cloud nine
- A weight off my shoulders
- At your wits' end
- Thrilled to bits
Effort, Success, & Failure
10- Start from scratch
- Pass with flying colors
- Fall flat
- Go down the drain
- Keep your head above water
- Pay off
- Throw in the towel
- Make headway
- Uphill battle
- Back to square one
Time, Speed, & Urgency
10- Beat the clock
- At the eleventh hour
- Around the clock
- In the nick of time
- Drag your feet
- Time flies
- Make up for lost time
- Call time on
- Ahead of the curve
- On the spur of the moment
Resources, Money, & Value
10- Make ends meet
- Foot the bill
- Break the bank
- Tighten your belt
- Bang for your buck
- A drop in the ocean
- Make a killing
- On a shoestring budget
- Worth your weight in gold
- Pay top dollar
Keep your head above water
Learn the meaning, origin, and usage of the idiom "Keep your head above water" with five example sentences across different contexts. This idiom is part of ourEffort, Success, & Failure collection for PTE and IELTS preparation.
Keep your head above water
To survive or manage a difficult situation, especially financially or in terms of workload, without completely failing or being overwhelmed.
History & Origin
The phrase originates from the literal, physical act of swimming or treading water to avoid drowning. It dates back to at least the early 1700s, where it began transitioning from a description of physical survival in water to a metaphor for avoiding financial ruin or emotional exhaustion. By the 19th century, it was widely used in English literature to describe businesses or individuals managing to stay solvent during economic downturns.
Examples
With three team members out sick this week, the rest of us are doing everything we can just to keep our heads above water with the daily client requests.
Ever since the rent went up, I've had to work a second job just to keep my head above water.
Many small businesses during the 2008 recession struggled to keep their heads above water due to the sudden constriction of credit markets.
Local charities are finding it harder to keep their heads above water as public donations hit an all-time low while demand for services rises.
As leaders, our goal should not merely be to help our citizens keep their heads above water, but to provide them with the tools to truly thrive.
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses the idiom correctly?
A. After winning the lottery, he was finally able to keep his head above water and buy a luxury sports car.
B. Despite facing unexpected supply chain delays and a sudden drop in sales, the new startup managed to keep its head above water through the first quarter.
C. She studied so hard for the final exam that she easily kept her head above water and scored a perfect 100%.
D. To keep your head above water, you should always remember to wear a warm winter hat when it snows.