Medicine is a big part of our lives in the United States. When we get sick, we go to the doctor or take medicine to feel better. But did you know that people also talk about health and medicine in fun ways? These fun phrases are called idioms. They don’t mean exactly what the words say, but they help us talk about feelings, health, and even funny things that happen in everyday life.
Idioms about medicine are used in many conversations across the USA. They can describe how someone feels, how to deal with problems, or even how to give advice. Some are silly, and some are smart. In this article, you will learn many of these sayings. They will help you understand and use American English in a fun way.
Idioms About Medicine
1. An apple a day keeps the doctor away
Meaning: Eating healthy helps prevent sickness.
Example Sentence:
• I eat fruit every day because an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
• Grandma always reminded me that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Other ways to say: Stay healthy, eat well
Fun Fact/Origin: This saying started in Wales in the 1800s and is still popular in the USA today.
Usage: Said when talking about healthy habits.
2. Under the weather
Meaning: Feeling a little sick.
Example Sentence:
• I stayed home from school because I was feeling under the weather.
• Mom said she felt under the weather after dinner.
Other ways to say: Not feeling well, sick
Fun Fact/Origin: This comes from old sailing days when sick sailors rested below the deck, or “under the weather.”
Usage: Used when someone feels a little ill.
3. Take your medicine
Meaning: Accept the result of your actions.
Example Sentence:
• He broke the rule, so he had to take his medicine.
• If you cheat and get caught, you’ll have to take your medicine.
Other ways to say: Face the consequences, deal with it
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from when medicine tasted bad, but you had to take it anyway.
Usage: Used when someone must accept a punishment or lesson.
4. Just what the doctor ordered
Meaning: Exactly what was needed.
Example Sentence:
• A nap was just what the doctor ordered.
• This warm soup is just what the doctor ordered.
Other ways to say: Perfect, exactly right
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from real doctor advice—if a doctor suggests something, it must be helpful.
Usage: Said when something makes you feel better.
5. A bitter pill to swallow
Meaning: Something hard to accept.
Example Sentence:
• Losing the game was a bitter pill to swallow.
• Not making the team was a bitter pill to swallow.
Other ways to say: Hard to accept, tough news
Fun Fact/Origin: Some medicine used to taste awful, but people had to take it anyway.
Usage: Used when someone must deal with bad news.
6. Break out in a cold sweat
Meaning: Feel very nervous or scared.
Example Sentence:
• I broke out in a cold sweat before my speech.
• He broke out in a cold sweat during the scary movie.
Other ways to say: Get really nervous, get scared
Fun Fact/Origin: Stress can cause your body to sweat, even if you’re not hot.
Usage: Used when someone is really nervous or frightened.
7. Go under the knife
Meaning: Have surgery.
Example Sentence:
• She had to go under the knife to fix her knee.
• Grandpa went under the knife last week.
Other ways to say: Have surgery, get operated on
Fun Fact/Origin: Refers to doctors using knives in operations.
Usage: Used when someone is getting surgery.
8. In bad shape
Meaning: Not healthy or not doing well.
Example Sentence:
• He was in bad shape after eating too much candy.
• The car is in bad shape after the storm.
Other ways to say: Not doing well, unhealthy
Fun Fact/Origin: Shape can mean condition—good or bad.
Usage: Used to describe poor health or condition.
9. Rub salt in the wound
Meaning: Make someone feel worse.
Example Sentence:
• Teasing him after he lost rubbed salt in the wound.
• Don’t rub salt in the wound—he already feels bad.
Other ways to say: Make it worse, hurt more
Fun Fact/Origin: Salt hurts when put on a cut, just like words can hurt more.
Usage: Used when someone is already upset, and something makes it worse.
10. On the mend
Meaning: Getting better after being sick or hurt.
Example Sentence:
• She was sick last week but now she’s on the mend.
• After the surgery, he’s slowly on the mend.
Other ways to say: Healing, recovering
Fun Fact/Origin: “Mend” means to fix or repair something.
Usage: Used when someone is feeling better.
11. A clean bill of health
Meaning: A doctor says you’re healthy.
Example Sentence:
• After the check-up, she got a clean bill of health.
• The puppy got a clean bill of health from the vet.
Other ways to say: All good, fully healthy
Fun Fact/Origin: This comes from a real paper doctors give showing no illness.
Usage: Used when someone is declared healthy.
12. Pain in the neck
Meaning: Someone or something annoying.
Example Sentence:
• My little brother is sometimes a pain in the neck.
• That loud dog next door is a pain in the neck.
Other ways to say: Annoying, bothersome
Fun Fact/Origin: A real neck pain is hard to ignore—so are annoying people.
Usage: Used when someone causes problems or stress.
13. Black out
Meaning: To faint or lose consciousness.
Example Sentence:
• He blacked out after running in the heat.
• She almost blacked out when she saw the blood.
Other ways to say: Pass out, faint
Fun Fact/Origin: It’s like everything goes dark, like a light going out.
Usage: Used when someone briefly loses awareness.
14. Back on your feet
Meaning: Healthy again after being sick.
Example Sentence:
• I’m finally back on my feet after the flu.
• She was sick last week, but she’s back on her feet now.
Other ways to say: Feeling better, healthy again
Fun Fact/Origin: Standing up shows strength and health.
Usage: Used when someone is recovering.
15. Kick the bucket
Meaning: To die.
Example Sentence:
• The old cat finally kicked the bucket.
• That old computer kicked the bucket yesterday.
Other ways to say: Pass away, die
Fun Fact/Origin: It’s a silly way to talk about dying and is common in jokes.
Usage: Used in casual talk about someone dying.
16. Out of sorts
Meaning: Not feeling well or in a bad mood.
Example Sentence:
• He seemed out of sorts at school today.
• I was out of sorts all day after waking up late.
Other ways to say: Feeling off, not right
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase has been used in the USA for over 200 years.
Usage: Used when someone is not their usual self.
17. Alive and kicking
Meaning: Still healthy and active.
Example Sentence:
• Grandma is 80 but she’s alive and kicking.
• After that cold, I’m back—alive and kicking.
Other ways to say: Energetic, doing well
Fun Fact/Origin: Used to show someone is full of life, even after trouble.
Usage: Used for people who are doing well.
18. Break out in hives
Meaning: Get red itchy spots on the skin.
Example Sentence:
• I broke out in hives after eating peanuts.
• She breaks out in hives when she gets nervous.
Other ways to say: Get a rash, itchy bumps
Fun Fact/Origin: Hives are a real skin reaction and often come with allergies.
Usage: Used for skin problems caused by allergies or stress.
19. On life support
Meaning: Very weak or close to failing.
Example Sentence:
• The old store is on life support—no one shops there.
• The plant was on life support until we watered it.
Other ways to say: Barely working, almost gone
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from machines that keep people alive in hospitals.
Usage: Used for people or things in serious trouble.
20. A shot in the arm
Meaning: Something that brings energy or hope.
Example Sentence:
• The big win was a shot in the arm for the team.
• Her kind words were a shot in the arm.
Other ways to say: Boost, lift
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from real shots that help people feel better.
Usage: Used when something helps a situation improve.
21. Cold turkey
Meaning: To quit something suddenly.
Example Sentence:
• He quit soda cold turkey.
• She stopped watching TV cold turkey.
Other ways to say: Quit completely, stop right away
Fun Fact/Origin: The phrase might come from how people look pale like cold turkey meat when quitting a habit.
Usage: Used when someone quits a habit fast.
22. Fit as a fiddle
Meaning: In great health.
Example Sentence:
• Grandpa is 90 but still fit as a fiddle.
• I feel fit as a fiddle today!
Other ways to say: Very healthy, strong
Fun Fact/Origin: Fiddles (violins) must be in good shape to sound good.
Usage: Used when someone is feeling strong.
23. Have a check-up
Meaning: Visit a doctor for a regular health check.
Example Sentence:
• I have a check-up every year.
• Mom took the baby for a check-up.
Other ways to say: Doctor visit, health check
Fun Fact/Origin: Regular check-ups help catch sickness early.
Usage: Used when talking about health visits.
24. The doctor is in
Meaning: Someone is ready to help.
Example Sentence:
• I’m ready to listen—the doctor is in.
• The teacher said, “The doctor is in” when we asked for help.
Other ways to say: Ready to help, available
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from signs outside real doctors’ offices.
Usage: Used to say someone is ready to fix a problem.
25. A bad dose
Meaning: A bad experience or serious illness.
Example Sentence:
• That was a bad dose of the flu.
• He got a bad dose of food poisoning.
Other ways to say: Strong sickness, tough time
Fun Fact/Origin: “Dose” means a portion of medicine, so a “bad dose” feels worse.
Usage: Used for a bad sickness or hard time.
26. Give someone a taste of their own medicine
Meaning: Treat someone the way they treated others (often in a mean way).
Example Sentence:
• He kept teasing people, so they gave him a taste of his own medicine.
• She was rude, but then someone gave her a taste of her own medicine.
Other ways to say: Get payback, get what you gave
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the idea that people should “take” what they “give.”
Usage: Used when someone gets treated badly like they treat others.
27. Dressed to kill
Meaning: Wearing very nice or stylish clothes.
Example Sentence:
• She was dressed to kill at the school dance.
• He came to the party dressed to kill.
Other ways to say: Look amazing, dressed up
Fun Fact/Origin: “Kill” here doesn’t mean harm—it means making a strong impression.
Usage: Used when someone looks very good.
28. Drop-dead gorgeous
Meaning: Extremely beautiful or handsome.
Example Sentence:
• The actress on TV is drop-dead gorgeous.
• Everyone said she looked drop-dead gorgeous in her dress.
Other ways to say: Very pretty, super good-looking
Fun Fact/Origin: The word “drop-dead” is used for big reactions, not actual danger.
Usage: Used when someone looks amazing.
29. A sore point
Meaning: A topic that makes someone upset.
Example Sentence:
• His grades are a sore point, so don’t bring them up.
• Don’t ask about the test—that’s a sore point.
Other ways to say: Sensitive topic, touchy subject
Fun Fact/Origin: Like a real sore spot on your body, it hurts when touched.
Usage: Used for topics people don’t like talking about.
30. Nurse someone back to health
Meaning: Help someone get better after being sick.
Example Sentence:
• Mom nursed me back to health when I had the flu.
• The vet nursed the kitten back to health.
Other ways to say: Help recover, care for
Fun Fact/Origin: Nurses care for sick people, so this phrase makes sense.
Usage: Used when someone helps another heal.
31. Take a turn for the worse
Meaning: Start to feel or get worse.
Example Sentence:
• His cold took a turn for the worse last night.
• The weather took a turn for the worse.
Other ways to say: Got worse, declined
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom is often used in hospitals or weather reports.
Usage: Used when things go downhill.
32. Sick as a dog
Meaning: Very sick.
Example Sentence:
• I was sick as a dog all weekend.
• He looked sick as a dog after that rollercoaster.
Other ways to say: Really sick, very ill
Fun Fact/Origin: Dogs are often used in idioms for strong feelings.
Usage: Used when someone is really unwell.
33. Take it easy
Meaning: Rest and not do too much.
Example Sentence:
• The doctor told Dad to take it easy after surgery.
• You should take it easy if you feel dizzy.
Other ways to say: Relax, rest
Fun Fact/Origin: It became common in American slang in the 1950s.
Usage: Used when someone needs to slow down or rest.
34. In the pink of health
Meaning: Very healthy and doing great.
Example Sentence:
• After her check-up, she was in the pink of health.
• Grandpa may be old, but he’s in the pink of health.
Other ways to say: Feeling great, super healthy
Fun Fact/Origin: “Pink” is a color linked with healthy skin.
Usage: Used when someone is very healthy.
35. Not all there
Meaning: Acting confused or not thinking clearly.
Example Sentence:
• After waking up, he was not all there.
• Grandma was tired and seemed not all there.
Other ways to say: Out of it, not thinking straight
Fun Fact/Origin: People use this to gently talk about confusion.
Usage: Used when someone is mentally unclear.
36. On pins and needles
Meaning: Feeling nervous or anxious.
Example Sentence:
• I was on pins and needles waiting for my test score.
• She sat on pins and needles during the storm.
Other ways to say: Nervous, anxious
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from the prickly feeling in your limbs when you’re nervous.
Usage: Used when someone is waiting nervously.
37. Throw up
Meaning: To vomit.
Example Sentence:
• He threw up after spinning on the ride.
• The smell made her throw up.
Other ways to say: Be sick, vomit
Fun Fact/Origin: Kids often use this phrase more than “vomit.”
Usage: Used to talk about being sick to your stomach.
38. Drop like flies
Meaning: Many people getting sick or leaving at once.
Example Sentence:
• Everyone at school caught the flu—they dropped like flies.
• The runners dropped like flies during the race.
Other ways to say: Fall quickly, go down fast
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from how flies fall in groups when sprayed.
Usage: Used when lots of people get sick or give up.
39. Up and about
Meaning: Active again after being sick.
Example Sentence:
• After a week of rest, she’s up and about again.
• He was sick, but now he’s up and about.
Other ways to say: Moving again, active
Fun Fact/Origin: Simple way to say someone is no longer in bed.
Usage: Used when someone is feeling better.
40. A clean slate
Meaning: A fresh start, usually after a health issue.
Example Sentence:
• After quitting smoking, he had a clean slate.
• She got a clean slate after surgery.
Other ways to say: Fresh start, new beginning
Fun Fact/Origin: Slates were used in schools and could be wiped clean.
Usage: Used for fresh starts in life or health.
41. Off-color
Meaning: Looking pale or sick.
Example Sentence:
• He looked off-color after the ride.
• Mom said I looked off-color this morning.
Other ways to say: Pale, not looking good
Fun Fact/Origin: Color in your face shows how you’re feeling.
Usage: Used when someone looks unwell.
42. Get a second opinion
Meaning: Ask another doctor before making a health decision.
Example Sentence:
• We got a second opinion before the surgery.
• Dad got a second opinion about his back pain.
Other ways to say: Ask again, get more advice
Fun Fact/Origin: This is common in healthcare in the USA.
Usage: Used when someone wants to be sure about medical advice.
43. Have one foot in the grave
Meaning: Very old or very sick.
Example Sentence:
• He joked that he had one foot in the grave.
• After that flu, I felt like I had one foot in the grave.
Other ways to say: Almost gone, near death
Fun Fact/Origin: This is often used in humor, not seriously.
Usage: Used to describe someone very weak or ill.
44. Take your pulse
Meaning: Check how you’re doing.
Example Sentence:
• The nurse took my pulse before the check-up.
• I like to take my pulse after running.
Other ways to say: Check your heart rate
Fun Fact/Origin: Pulse is the beat your heart makes.
Usage: Used for health checks or exercise.
45. Run its course
Meaning: Let an illness finish naturally.
Example Sentence:
• The cold ran its course in a few days.
• Doctors said the virus had to run its course.
Other ways to say: Finish by itself, go away naturally
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from how things go from start to end on their own.
Usage: Used when medicine or rest is all you can do.
Quiz: Idioms About Medicine
Instructions: Choose the best answer that explains what each idiom means. Each question has only one correct answer.
Question Key
1. What does “under the weather” mean?
A) It’s going to rain soon
B) Feeling a little sick
C) Staying inside during storms
2. If someone says “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” what do they mean?
A) Apples are the only healthy fruit
B) Eating healthy helps you stay well
C) Doctors don’t like apples
3. What does “break out in a cold sweat” mean?
A) Get cold after swimming
B) Be very tired
C) Feel nervous or scared
4. What does it mean to “take your medicine”?
A) Drink something sweet
B) Eat candy
C) Accept the result of your actions
5. What does “a bitter pill to swallow” mean?
A) Medicine that tastes bad
B) Something hard to accept
C) Eating food too fast
6. If you are “back on your feet,” what does that mean?
A) You just learned to walk
B) You feel healthy again
C) You fell down
7. What does “rub salt in the wound” mean?
A) Put salt on food
B) Clean a cut
C) Make someone feel worse
8. What does “cold turkey” mean?
A) A meal with turkey
B) Quit something suddenly
C) Feel cold
9. If someone is “fit as a fiddle,” how are they feeling?
A) Very healthy
B) Very tired
C) Very old
10. What does “kick the bucket” mean?
A) To fall over
B) To break something
C) To die
11. If someone is “on the mend,” what’s happening?
A) They are healing
B) They are sleeping
C) They are working hard
12. What does “give someone a taste of their own medicine” mean?
A) Let them try your food
B) Treat them the way they treated others
C) Ask them for help
13. What does it mean to “drop like flies”?
A) Fall while dancing
B) Get sick or give up one after another
C) Get swatted
14. What does “take it easy” mean?
A) Go for a run
B) Work faster
C) Rest and relax
15. What does “a clean bill of health” mean?
A) You paid for the doctor
B) You’re fully healthy
C) You got a new bill
Answer Key
- B – Feeling a little sick
- B – Eating healthy helps you stay well
- C – Feel nervous or scared
- C – Accept the result of your actions
- B – Something hard to accept
- B – You feel healthy again
- C – Make someone feel worse
- B – Quit something suddenly
- A – Very healthy
- C – To die
- A – They are healing
- B – Treat them the way they treated others
- B – Get sick or give up one after another
- C – Rest and relax
- B – You’re fully healthy
Wrapping Up
Idioms about medicine help people in the USA talk about health, feelings, and even funny moments in life. These sayings are used in everyday talk, at school, at home, and even on TV. They make language more fun and easier to understand.
Now that you’ve read these idioms and taken the quiz, you can spot these phrases when you hear them. They may not mean exactly what the words say, but now you know what they really mean. Keep learning and using them—they can make your English stronger and more colorful.
