IDIOMS FOR EMOTIONS 2

open/reopen old wounds	If you open or reopen old wounds you revive memories of an unpleasant event, situation or dispute that took place in the past. He carefully avoided the subject so as not to open old wounds.
pour your heart out	If you pour your heart out to someone, you express your feelings freely. When she needs to pour her heart out to someone, Elsa goes to visit her grandmother.
proud as a peacock	A person who is as proud as a peacock is extremely proud. When his son won first prize, Bill was as proud as a peacock.
proud/pleased as punch	Someone who is as proud or pleased as punch is delighted or feels very satisfied about something. Dad was as proud as punch when he won the tennis match.
put foot in mouth	If you put your foot in your mouth, you say something that offends, upsets or embarrasses someone. She really put her foot in her mouth when she mentioned the housewarming party - Andy hadn't been invited.
reduce to tears	If your behaviour or attitude makes someone cry, you reduce them to tears. The teacher criticized her presentation so harshly that she was reduced to tears.
regain one's composure	If you regain your composure, you calm down and control your emotions again after a stressful or upsetting event. It took her a while to regain her composure after hearing the insulting remarks.
save face	When someone saves face, they manage to avoid humiliation or embarrassment and preserve their dignity and the respect of others. They allowed him to save face by accepting  his resignation.
have a soft spot	If you have a soft spot for someone or something, you particularly like them. My grandfather has always had a soft spot for his first grandchild.
speak volumes	If something speaks volumes, it expresses a reaction or opinion very clearly, with no need for words. The happy smile on the child's face when he opened the box spoke volumes about my choice of gift.
let off steam	A person who lets off steam releases surplus energy or strong feelings either through intense physical activity or by talking in an unrestrained manner. Let's bring the kids to the playground so they can let off steam.
steamed up	If someone gets steamed up about something, they become very angry, excited or enthusiastic about it. Calm down - there's no need to get all steamed up about it!
in a stew	When someone is in a stew about something, they are worried and agitated. When she was organizing the wedding reception, Laura got into a stew over the seating arrangements.
a stitherum	Someone who is (all) in a stitherum is excited, agitated or confused about something. The mayor's resignation created quite a stitherum in the town. strike a raw nerve If something you say strikes or hits a raw nerve, it upsets someone because they are very sensitive about the subject. You struck a raw nerve when you mentioned divorce. They're separating. swallow one's pride If you swallow your pride, you accept something humiliating or embarrassing, for example having to admit that you are wrong, or that you have less knowledge that you thought. When Jill failed the exam, she had to swallow her pride and repeat the course. sweet nothings Pleasant but unimportant words that lovers say to each other are called sweet nothings. He whispered sweet nothings in her ear as they danced. take a fancy If you take a fancy to someone or something, you develop a fondness for them or begin to like them. I think Paul has taken a fancy to the new intern! take a load/weight off your mind If something takes a load (or weight) off someone's mind, it brings great relief because a problem has been solved. When the company closed down, finding a new job took a load off Tom's mind. tear your hair out If someone is tearing their hair out, they are extremely agitated or distressed about something. I've been tearing my hair out all morning trying to find the error! on tenterhooks A person who is on tenterhooks is in a state of anxious suspense or excitement. The candidate were kept on tenterhooks for hours while the panel deliberated. thank one's lucky stars  When someone says they can thank their lucky stars, they are expressing heartfelt gratitude or feeling particularly fortunate. I can thank my lucky stars I wasn't on the train that crashed. think the sun rises and sets on someone If you consider someone to be the most wonderful person in the world, you think the sun rises and sets on them. She adores her husband - she thinks the sun rises and sets on him! think the world of If you think the world of someone, you like or admire them very much. She's a wonderful grandmother - the children think the world of her. thinly veiled If something such as a feeling or reaction is thinly veiled, it is barely hidden. His disappointment was thinly veiled when he saw what he had won. tongue-tied If you are tongue-tied, you have difficulty in expressing yourself because you are nervous or embarrassed. At the start of the interview I was completely tongue-tied! tug at the heartstrings Something or someone who tugs at the heartstrings causes others to feel a great deal of pity or sadness. The hospital's plea for donors tugged at the heartstrings of millions of viewers. over the moon If you are over the moon, you are absolutely delighted. We were all over the moon when we heard the good news. weak at the knees Someone who is weak at the knees is (temporarily) barely able to stand because of emotion, fear or illness. The shock of the announcement make me go weak at the knees! wear your heart on your sleeve If you wear your heart on your sleeve, you allow others to see your emotions or feelings. You could see that she was hurt - she wears her heart on her sleeve! wish the ground would swallow you up When you are so embarrassed by something that you would like to disappear, you wish the ground would swallow you up. When I realized I was reading the wrong report, I stood there in front of the group wishing the ground would swallow me up! be/mean the world to someone When you are or mean the world to someone, you are very important or precious to them. His daughter means all the world to Mr. Jones. written all over face When someone's feelings or thoughts are very clear, you can say that they are written all over their face. Her affection for her grandson was written all over the old lady's face.