soul

bare your heart/soul

to tell someone your secret thoughts and feelings. We don't know each other that well. I certainly wouldn't bare my heart to her. (often + to)

See also: bare, heart

be the life and soul of the party (British, American & Australian, American & Australian)

to be the type of person who enjoys social occasions and makes them more enjoyable for other people. He's a very sweet man but he's not exactly the life and soul of the party. Give him a few drinks and he's the life of the party!

See also: life, party

be the soul of discretion

to be good at not talking about things that other people want to keep secret. As regards Nigel, he's the soul of discretion. I'm quite sure he won't mention this to anyone.

See also: discretion

body and soul

if you do something or believe something body and soul, you do it or believe it completely. She dedicated herself to her research, body and soul.

See also: body

God rest her/his soul. (old-fashioned)

something that you say when you are talking about someone who is dead, to show that you respect them. My old father - God rest his soul - now he could drink a pint or two.

See also: god, her, his, rest

heart and soul

put your heart and soul into something/doing something - to do something with a lot of energy and interest. She loves him heart and soul. (= completely)

See also: heart

keep body and soul together

to just be able to pay for the things that you need in order to live. We can barely keep body and soul together on what he earns.

See also: body, keep, together

like a lost soul

if someone is walking around a place like a lost soul, they are walking slowly without direction or purpose in a way that makes them look sad and lost. I found him wandering aimlessly around the hall like a lost soul.

See also: like, lost

put your heart and soul into something/doing something

to do something with a lot of energy and interest. He put his heart and soul into running that café.

See also: heart

sell your soul (to the devil)

to do something bad in order to succeed or get money or power. As far as Mike was concerned, he badly wanted the job and he'd sell his soul to the devil to get it.

See also: sell

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bare your soul

to express your secret thoughts and feelings. Although people are willing to bare their souls about subjects like rape, grief is still a difficult subject to talk about.

lay bare something

See also: bare

God rest someone's soul

I hope this person's spirit is at peace. I mean, Walt Disney — God rest his soul — has been dead for some time, but his presence is still so much a part of that company.

Usage notes: said about someone who is dead

See also: god, rest

sell your soul (to the devil)

to accept immoral behavior in order to succeed. If the day comes when I begin to sell my soul like the other managers do, that's the day I'll quit.

Etymology: from the literal idea of exchanging your soul (= spirit) with the devil (= the origin of evil) to get something you want

See also: sell