"head over heels" meaning in English

See head over heels in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˌhɛd oʊ.vɚ ˈhilz/ [General-American], /ˌhɛd əʊ.və ˈhiːlz/ [Received-Pronunciation] Audio: en-au-head over heels.ogg [Australia]
enPR: hĕd ō'vər hēlz Etymology: Attested from the 14ᵗʰ century onwards, originally as heels over head, which better rendered the notion of things being upside down (head over heels is the standard state of being). Etymology templates: {{m|en|heels over head}} heels over head Head templates: {{en-adj|-}} head over heels (not comparable)
  1. Hopelessly smitten; madly in love. Tags: not-comparable Categories (topical): Love Translations (hopelessly smitten): korviaan myöten rakastunut (note: in love) (Finnish), päättömänä [adverb] (Finnish), fou amoureux (French), fülig szerelmes (Hungarian), zaľúbený po uši [masculine] (Slovak), beznádejne zaľúbený [masculine] (Slovak), upp över öronen (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-head_over_heels-en-adj-C7dR8lis Disambiguation of Love: 76 5 5 14

Adverb

IPA: /ˌhɛd oʊ.vɚ ˈhilz/ [General-American], /ˌhɛd əʊ.və ˈhiːlz/ [Received-Pronunciation] Audio: en-au-head over heels.ogg [Australia]
enPR: hĕd ō'vər hēlz Etymology: Attested from the 14ᵗʰ century onwards, originally as heels over head, which better rendered the notion of things being upside down (head over heels is the standard state of being). Etymology templates: {{m|en|heels over head}} heels over head Head templates: {{en-adv|-}} head over heels (not comparable)
  1. Tumbling upside down; somersaulting. Tags: not-comparable Synonyms: arse over tit, ass over teakettle, base over apex Translations (tumbling upside down): през глава (prez glava) (Bulgarian), de tomballons (Catalan), halsoverkop (Dutch), päistikkaa (Finnish), suin päin (Finnish), jambes par-dessus tête (French), purzelnd (German), überschlagend (German), kopfüber (German), gambe all'aria (Italian), hodestups (Norwegian Bokmål), do góry nogami (Polish), cabeça pra baixo (Portuguese), ponta-cabeça (Portuguese), вверх нога́ми (vverx nogámi) (Russian), вверх торма́шками (vverx tormáškami) (Russian), ку́барем (kúbarem) (Russian), hore nohami (Slovak), cabeza abajo (Spanish), patas arriba (Spanish), stå på öronen (Swedish), догори дриґом (dohory drygom) (Ukrainian), tin dros ben (Welsh), dinben drosben (Welsh), dibyn-dobyn (Welsh)
    Sense id: en-head_over_heels-en-adv-7cMjORsF Disambiguation of 'tumbling upside down': 97 2 2
  2. At top speed; frantically. Tags: not-comparable Synonyms: full tilt, full throttle, like mad Translations (at top speed; frantically): halsoverkop (Dutch), pää kolmantena jalkana (Finnish), Hals über Kopf (German), wie verrückt (German), wie wahnsinnig (German), hanyatt-homlok (Hungarian), a gambe levate (Italian), halseuverkop (Limburgish), сломя́ го́лову (slomjá gólovu) (Russian), очертя́ го́лову (očertjá gólovu) (Russian), стремгла́в (stremgláv) (Russian), опроме́тью (oprométʹju) (Russian), nohy na plecia (Slovak), hals över huvud (Swedish), стрімголов (strimholov) (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-head_over_heels-en-adv-GADwpAn4 Disambiguation of 'at top speed; frantically': 3 92 5
  3. (usually with in love) Hopelessly; madly; to distraction; deeply; utterly. Tags: not-comparable, usually Synonyms: head over ears Translations (hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)): halsoverkop (Dutch), korviaan myöten (Finnish), päättömästi (Finnish), follement (French), éperdument (French), à la folie (French), fou (French), Hals über Kopf (German), (bis) über beide Ohren (German), fülig (Hungarian), follemente (Italian), perdutamente (Italian), fuori di testa (Italian), hodestups (Norwegian Bokmål), po uši (Slovak), beznádejne (Slovak), perdidamente (Spanish), handlöst (Swedish), upp över öronen (Swedish), по вуха (po vuxa) (Ukrainian), по самі вуха (po sami vuxa) (Ukrainian)
    Sense id: en-head_over_heels-en-adv-we5PS4JR Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup, English entries with topic categories using raw markup, English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 15 22 18 44 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 14 21 16 49 Disambiguation of English entries with topic categories using raw markup: 15 24 17 44 Disambiguation of English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys: 16 25 18 41 Disambiguation of 'hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)': 18 10 72
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: headless over heels

Download JSON data for head over heels meaning in English (16.2kB)

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "34 37 29",
      "word": "headless over heels"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "heels over head"
      },
      "expansion": "heels over head",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Attested from the 14ᵗʰ century onwards, originally as heels over head, which better rendered the notion of things being upside down (head over heels is the standard state of being).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "head over heels (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adv"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adv",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She tripped and rolled head over heels down the hill.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011, Wes Harvey, A Most Unusual Life, page 83",
          "text": "I was knocked head over heels about 20' from where I was before.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Tumbling upside down; somersaulting."
      ],
      "id": "en-head_over_heels-en-adv-7cMjORsF",
      "links": [
        [
          "Tumbling",
          "tumble"
        ],
        [
          "upside down",
          "upside down"
        ],
        [
          "somersault",
          "somersault"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "arse over tit"
        },
        {
          "word": "ass over teakettle"
        },
        {
          "word": "base over apex"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "prez glava",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "през глава"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "de tomballons"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "halsoverkop"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "päistikkaa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "suin päin"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "jambes par-dessus tête"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "purzelnd"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "überschlagend"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "kopfüber"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "gambe all'aria"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "hodestups"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "do góry nogami"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "cabeça pra baixo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "ponta-cabeça"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "vverx nogámi",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "вверх нога́ми"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "vverx tormáškami",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "вверх торма́шками"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "kúbarem",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "ку́барем"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "hore nohami"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "cabeza abajo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "patas arriba"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "stå på öronen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "dohory drygom",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "догори дриґом"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "tin dros ben"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "dinben drosben"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "97 2 2",
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "tumbling upside down",
          "word": "dibyn-dobyn"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Hearing the noise in the dark, the children ran head over heels back home.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1968, Vardis Fisher, Opal Laurel Holmes, Opal Laurel Fisher, Gold Rushes and Mining Camps of the Early American West, page 46",
          "text": "It told its readers that people all over the country were \"rushing head over heels toward the El Dorado on the Pacific— that wonderful California, which sets the public mind almost on the highway to insanity.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "At top speed; frantically."
      ],
      "id": "en-head_over_heels-en-adv-GADwpAn4",
      "links": [
        [
          "speed",
          "speed"
        ],
        [
          "frantically",
          "frantically"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "full tilt"
        },
        {
          "word": "full throttle"
        },
        {
          "word": "like mad"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "3 92 5",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
          "word": "halsoverkop"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 92 5",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
          "word": "pää kolmantena jalkana"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 92 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
          "word": "Hals über Kopf"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 92 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
          "word": "wie verrückt"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 92 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
          "word": "wie wahnsinnig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 92 5",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
          "word": "hanyatt-homlok"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 92 5",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
          "word": "a gambe levate"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 92 5",
          "code": "li",
          "lang": "Limburgish",
          "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
          "word": "halseuverkop"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 92 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "slomjá gólovu",
          "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
          "word": "сломя́ го́лову"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 92 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "očertjá gólovu",
          "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
          "word": "очертя́ го́лову"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 92 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "stremgláv",
          "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
          "word": "стремгла́в"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 92 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "oprométʹju",
          "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
          "word": "опроме́тью"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 92 5",
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
          "word": "nohy na plecia"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 92 5",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
          "word": "hals över huvud"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "3 92 5",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "strimholov",
          "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
          "word": "стрімголов"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "15 22 18 44",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "14 21 16 49",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 24 17 44",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "16 25 18 41",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1904, Henry Huttleston Rogers, “Letter from Rogers to Clemens (Mark Twain) dated 8 February 1904”, in Mark Twain's Correspondence with Henry Huttleston Rogers, 1893–1909, University of California Press, published 1969, page 555",
          "text": "I am head over heels in trouble.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1967, Russell B. Long, Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 90th Congress - First Session, United States Congress, page 16122",
          "text": "Some of them lose and wind up head over heels in debt. Some of them win and wind up head over heels in debt.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2002, Francine Pascal, Liar, page 184",
          "text": "I mean, do I just fall head over heels for the last girl I've kissed?",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2005, Ronald Frankenberg, Edith L. B. Turner, Heart of Lightness: The Life Story of an Anthropologist, page 2",
          "text": "For research we went to Africa, and found ourselves head over heels into ritual (chapter 4).",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013, Laurie Friedman, Heart to Heart with Mallory, page 59",
          "text": "She told me that her mom and Joey's dad aren't just in love, they are head-over-heels in love.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Hopelessly; madly; to distraction; deeply; utterly."
      ],
      "id": "en-head_over_heels-en-adv-we5PS4JR",
      "links": [
        [
          "in love",
          "in love"
        ],
        [
          "Hopelessly",
          "hopelessly"
        ],
        [
          "madly",
          "madly"
        ],
        [
          "to distraction",
          "to distraction"
        ],
        [
          "deeply",
          "deeply"
        ],
        [
          "utterly",
          "utterly"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(usually with in love) Hopelessly; madly; to distraction; deeply; utterly."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "with in love"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "head over ears"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable",
        "usually"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "halsoverkop"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "korviaan myöten"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "päättömästi"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "follement"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "éperdument"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "à la folie"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "fou"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "Hals über Kopf"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "(bis) über beide Ohren"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "fülig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "follemente"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "perdutamente"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "fuori di testa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "hodestups"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "note": "по́ у́ши (pó úši, literally “up to the ears”)",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "po uši"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "beznádejne"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "perdidamente"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "handlöst"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "upp över öronen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "po vuxa",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "по вуха"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "18 10 72",
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "po sami vuxa",
          "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
          "word": "по самі вуха"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌhɛd oʊ.vɚ ˈhilz/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌhɛd əʊ.və ˈhiːlz/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-head over heels.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/ba/En-au-head_over_heels.ogg/En-au-head_over_heels.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/En-au-head_over_heels.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    },
    {
      "enpr": "hĕd ō'vər hēlz"
    }
  ],
  "word": "head over heels"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "heels over head"
      },
      "expansion": "heels over head",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Attested from the 14ᵗʰ century onwards, originally as heels over head, which better rendered the notion of things being upside down (head over heels is the standard state of being).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "head over heels (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "76 5 5 14",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Love",
          "orig": "en:Love",
          "parents": [
            "Emotions",
            "Virtue",
            "Mind",
            "Ethics",
            "Human",
            "Philosophy",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2011, Martina Manicastri, Climb into My Mind: A Book of Poems, Essays, and Short Stories, page 74",
          "text": "Steve is the hottest, smartest, funniest, and most athletic boy in all of Edison High. Who knew a jock could be captain of the math team? He is also the guy that every girl is head over heels for.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012, Dressed up Garbage Can, page 9",
          "text": "Not to mention the young man that I was head over heels with was the jock at the school he attended. He played football and was damned good at it!",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012, James Prickette, Actors of the Spaghetti Westerns, page 237",
          "text": "From what it appeared to most everyone on the set, including Presley right down to the lowly stagehands, Ireland was head over heels with the impish young actress Weld from the start.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013, Dennis Coughlin, Passport to Life, page 155",
          "text": "Obviously at my age my interest was purely paternal but my younger self was head over heels.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Hopelessly smitten; madly in love."
      ],
      "id": "en-head_over_heels-en-adj-C7dR8lis",
      "links": [
        [
          "Hopelessly",
          "hopelessly"
        ],
        [
          "smitten",
          "smitten"
        ],
        [
          "madly",
          "madly"
        ],
        [
          "in love",
          "in love"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "note": "in love",
          "sense": "hopelessly smitten",
          "word": "korviaan myöten rakastunut"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "hopelessly smitten",
          "tags": [
            "adverb"
          ],
          "word": "päättömänä"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "hopelessly smitten",
          "word": "fou amoureux"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "hopelessly smitten",
          "word": "fülig szerelmes"
        },
        {
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "hopelessly smitten",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "zaľúbený po uši"
        },
        {
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "hopelessly smitten",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "beznádejne zaľúbený"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "hopelessly smitten",
          "word": "upp över öronen"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌhɛd oʊ.vɚ ˈhilz/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌhɛd əʊ.və ˈhiːlz/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-head over heels.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/ba/En-au-head_over_heels.ogg/En-au-head_over_heels.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/En-au-head_over_heels.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    },
    {
      "enpr": "hĕd ō'vər hēlz"
    }
  ],
  "word": "head over heels"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English adverbs",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
    "English idioms",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "English uncomparable adverbs",
    "Requests for review of German translations",
    "en:Love"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "headless over heels"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "heels over head"
      },
      "expansion": "heels over head",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Attested from the 14ᵗʰ century onwards, originally as heels over head, which better rendered the notion of things being upside down (head over heels is the standard state of being).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "head over heels (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adv"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adv",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She tripped and rolled head over heels down the hill.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011, Wes Harvey, A Most Unusual Life, page 83",
          "text": "I was knocked head over heels about 20' from where I was before.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Tumbling upside down; somersaulting."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Tumbling",
          "tumble"
        ],
        [
          "upside down",
          "upside down"
        ],
        [
          "somersault",
          "somersault"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "arse over tit"
        },
        {
          "word": "ass over teakettle"
        },
        {
          "word": "base over apex"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Hearing the noise in the dark, the children ran head over heels back home.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1968, Vardis Fisher, Opal Laurel Holmes, Opal Laurel Fisher, Gold Rushes and Mining Camps of the Early American West, page 46",
          "text": "It told its readers that people all over the country were \"rushing head over heels toward the El Dorado on the Pacific— that wonderful California, which sets the public mind almost on the highway to insanity.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "At top speed; frantically."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "speed",
          "speed"
        ],
        [
          "frantically",
          "frantically"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "full tilt"
        },
        {
          "word": "full throttle"
        },
        {
          "word": "like mad"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1904, Henry Huttleston Rogers, “Letter from Rogers to Clemens (Mark Twain) dated 8 February 1904”, in Mark Twain's Correspondence with Henry Huttleston Rogers, 1893–1909, University of California Press, published 1969, page 555",
          "text": "I am head over heels in trouble.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1967, Russell B. Long, Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 90th Congress - First Session, United States Congress, page 16122",
          "text": "Some of them lose and wind up head over heels in debt. Some of them win and wind up head over heels in debt.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2002, Francine Pascal, Liar, page 184",
          "text": "I mean, do I just fall head over heels for the last girl I've kissed?",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2005, Ronald Frankenberg, Edith L. B. Turner, Heart of Lightness: The Life Story of an Anthropologist, page 2",
          "text": "For research we went to Africa, and found ourselves head over heels into ritual (chapter 4).",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013, Laurie Friedman, Heart to Heart with Mallory, page 59",
          "text": "She told me that her mom and Joey's dad aren't just in love, they are head-over-heels in love.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Hopelessly; madly; to distraction; deeply; utterly."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "in love",
          "in love"
        ],
        [
          "Hopelessly",
          "hopelessly"
        ],
        [
          "madly",
          "madly"
        ],
        [
          "to distraction",
          "to distraction"
        ],
        [
          "deeply",
          "deeply"
        ],
        [
          "utterly",
          "utterly"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(usually with in love) Hopelessly; madly; to distraction; deeply; utterly."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "with in love"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "head over ears"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable",
        "usually"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌhɛd oʊ.vɚ ˈhilz/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌhɛd əʊ.və ˈhiːlz/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-head over heels.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/ba/En-au-head_over_heels.ogg/En-au-head_over_heels.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/En-au-head_over_heels.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    },
    {
      "enpr": "hĕd ō'vər hēlz"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "prez glava",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "през глава"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "de tomballons"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "halsoverkop"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "päistikkaa"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "suin päin"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "jambes par-dessus tête"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "purzelnd"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "überschlagend"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "kopfüber"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "gambe all'aria"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "hodestups"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "do góry nogami"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "cabeça pra baixo"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "ponta-cabeça"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "vverx nogámi",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "вверх нога́ми"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "vverx tormáškami",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "вверх торма́шками"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "kúbarem",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "ку́барем"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "hore nohami"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "cabeza abajo"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "patas arriba"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "stå på öronen"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "dohory drygom",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "догори дриґом"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "tin dros ben"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "dinben drosben"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "tumbling upside down",
      "word": "dibyn-dobyn"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
      "word": "halsoverkop"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
      "word": "pää kolmantena jalkana"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
      "word": "Hals über Kopf"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
      "word": "wie verrückt"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
      "word": "wie wahnsinnig"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
      "word": "hanyatt-homlok"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
      "word": "a gambe levate"
    },
    {
      "code": "li",
      "lang": "Limburgish",
      "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
      "word": "halseuverkop"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "slomjá gólovu",
      "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
      "word": "сломя́ го́лову"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "očertjá gólovu",
      "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
      "word": "очертя́ го́лову"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "stremgláv",
      "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
      "word": "стремгла́в"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "oprométʹju",
      "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
      "word": "опроме́тью"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
      "word": "nohy na plecia"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
      "word": "hals över huvud"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "strimholov",
      "sense": "at top speed; frantically",
      "word": "стрімголов"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "halsoverkop"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "korviaan myöten"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "päättömästi"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "follement"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "éperdument"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "à la folie"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "fou"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "Hals über Kopf"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "(bis) über beide Ohren"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "fülig"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "follemente"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "perdutamente"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "fuori di testa"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "hodestups"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "note": "по́ у́ши (pó úši, literally “up to the ears”)",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "po uši"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "beznádejne"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "perdidamente"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "handlöst"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "upp över öronen"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "po vuxa",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "по вуха"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "po sami vuxa",
      "sense": "hopelessly, madly (as in head over heels in love)",
      "word": "по самі вуха"
    }
  ],
  "word": "head over heels"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English adverbs",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
    "English idioms",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "English uncomparable adverbs",
    "Requests for review of German translations",
    "en:Love"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "heels over head"
      },
      "expansion": "heels over head",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Attested from the 14ᵗʰ century onwards, originally as heels over head, which better rendered the notion of things being upside down (head over heels is the standard state of being).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "head over heels (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2011, Martina Manicastri, Climb into My Mind: A Book of Poems, Essays, and Short Stories, page 74",
          "text": "Steve is the hottest, smartest, funniest, and most athletic boy in all of Edison High. Who knew a jock could be captain of the math team? He is also the guy that every girl is head over heels for.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012, Dressed up Garbage Can, page 9",
          "text": "Not to mention the young man that I was head over heels with was the jock at the school he attended. He played football and was damned good at it!",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2012, James Prickette, Actors of the Spaghetti Westerns, page 237",
          "text": "From what it appeared to most everyone on the set, including Presley right down to the lowly stagehands, Ireland was head over heels with the impish young actress Weld from the start.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013, Dennis Coughlin, Passport to Life, page 155",
          "text": "Obviously at my age my interest was purely paternal but my younger self was head over heels.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Hopelessly smitten; madly in love."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Hopelessly",
          "hopelessly"
        ],
        [
          "smitten",
          "smitten"
        ],
        [
          "madly",
          "madly"
        ],
        [
          "in love",
          "in love"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌhɛd oʊ.vɚ ˈhilz/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˌhɛd əʊ.və ˈhiːlz/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-head over heels.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/ba/En-au-head_over_heels.ogg/En-au-head_over_heels.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/En-au-head_over_heels.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    },
    {
      "enpr": "hĕd ō'vər hēlz"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "note": "in love",
      "sense": "hopelessly smitten",
      "word": "korviaan myöten rakastunut"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "hopelessly smitten",
      "tags": [
        "adverb"
      ],
      "word": "päättömänä"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "hopelessly smitten",
      "word": "fou amoureux"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "hopelessly smitten",
      "word": "fülig szerelmes"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "hopelessly smitten",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "zaľúbený po uši"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "hopelessly smitten",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "beznádejne zaľúbený"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "hopelessly smitten",
      "word": "upp över öronen"
    }
  ],
  "word": "head over heels"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.