Heels Over Head for Dummies

Sure thing! So, let's talk about the phrase "heels over head." It's actually an idiomatic expression, which means it doesn't mean exactly what it says word for word. Instead, it has a different meaning that we use in certain situations. You've probably heard other idioms before, like "the ball is in your court" or "break a leg." They don't mean that there's a basketball court involved or that we want someone to actually break their leg, right?

Now, "heels over head" is a bit unusual because it's not as commonly used as some other idioms. In fact, the more commonly used version is actually "head over heels." Have you heard of that one before? It's often used to describe being crazy in love or really excited about something. But "heels over head" means the same thing.

So, imagine this – when you stand, your head is usually on top, right? Well, if you were to suddenly do a somersault or a cartwheel, your body would flip over and your feet (your heels) would end up above your head. So, "heels over head" is used to describe a situation where something gets turned completely upside down or flipped around in a figurative sense.

Let's say you have a friend who is usually very organized and always gets her work done ahead of time. But one day, something unexpected happens and she forgets to do her homework. You could say, "Oh, she's usually so reliable, but this time everything got turned heels over head!" See, instead of saying "upside down," we use "heels over head" to make it more interesting and colorful.

And just to clarify, "heels over head" can also be used to describe physical movements, like somersaults or flips. So, if you see someone doing a fancy gymnastics move where they flip in the air, you can say they're going heels over head too.

There you have it! Remember, idioms like "heels over head" don't always make literal sense, but they add more flavor to our language and help us express ourselves in different ways. I hope that makes sense to you now!