Expressions with parts of the body: "leg"

In previous articles we have shown you various expressions in English that contain parts of the body. These expressions are very colloquial, are used in informal conversations and are part of the usual vocabulary that a native English normally uses, so it is highly recommended to know as many as possible. Most of the time, the expression used by an English is nothing like the equivalent in Spanish, which makes it more difficult to understand its meaning and we have no choice but to learn them as if they were a vocabulary word.

On this occasion we will focus on the word "leg". It can be the leg of an animal, a leg of a chair, a trouser leg, or a part of a long journey or competition. In addition, we can bend our legs, cross them, lift them, straighten them, swing them...

Finally, there are many expressions with the word "leg". Let's look at a few:

1. Show a leg! It's used to tell someone to get out of bed.
Show a leg! You have to be at school in 10 minutes!

2. Shake a leg! It's used to tell someone to hurry.
Shake a leg! We'll be late for the cinema!

3. Break a leg! It's used to wish someone good luck, especially before they perform on stage.
I'm sure you'll do well at the audition. Break a leg!

4. Leg it. To run in order to escape from someone or something.
As the alarm went off, the thieves had to leg it.

5. Pull somebody's leg. To tell someone something that is not true, as a joke.
You can't be pregnant with triplets. You're pulling my leg.

6. Talk the hind legs off a donkey. To talk a lot, especially about things that are not important.
Your friend is really nice but he talks the hind legs off a donkey.

7. Not have a leg to stand on. When you have nothing to prove what you are saying.
Without a document to prove what you're saying, I haven't got a leg to stand on.

8. Be on its last legs. Old or in bad condition. It will probably stop working soon.
This car seems to be on its last legs. We'll have to buy a new one soon.

9. Cost an arm and a leg. Very expensive.
Changing the bathroom is going to cost us an arm and a leg.

10. Give somebody a leg-up. To help someone to make progress, especially at work.
I wouldn't have my own business if I hadn't been given a leg-up from my parents.

If you know other expressions with the word "leg", don't hesitate to put them in the comments, and if you want to learn other expressions that contain body parts take a look at our blog.