Happy Valentine's Day!
Whether you love Valentine's Day or think it's a complete waste of time, there's no denying that notions of love and heartbreak have inspired writers and artists for thousands of years. There are countless expressions associated with love in the English language: "...from the bottom of my heart", "I have a crush on you", "I'm head over heels in love", and even "broken heart"; and over the years we've looked at how love has influenced the way we speak and write. Here are some of our top Valentine's Day posts:
- You are the Apple of my Eye
If someone is the apple of your eye, it means that you love and value them over all others. The phrase doesn't just apply to romantic love people often describe their children (or even their pets!) as the apple of their eye. The first recorded use of the phrase is from an Old English text Gregory's Pastoral Care (from AD 885, and attributed to King Alfred the Great). Learn more about the origins of this phrase and famous texts it's appeared in here.
- Twenty Five Idioms about the Heart and Thirty Idioms about Love
In these two blog posts we look at some of the many idioms and expressions in the English language about the heart and love:
A match made in heaven.
Whisper sweet nothings.
Follow your heart.
You may also be interested in idioms about emotion, idioms about the five senses, and idioms about the human body. If romance isn't your thing, how about our Halloween post on scary idioms? It's never too early to start celebrating, right?
- Shakespeare and Love
Many English words, idioms, and expressions were made popular by their appearance in the works of William Shakespeare. In this article we look at four famous expressions in which Shakespeare comments on the nature of love. Although these are quotes that appear in Twelfth Night, The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo and Juliet; we think they are relevant enough to fit into the mouths of characters of today.
If you are interested in reading more about Shakespeare's influence on the English language, you can find a list of our other articles about the bard here.
- Valentine's Day Spelling List
Last but not least, brush up on your Valentine's Day vocabulary with this spelling list. Study words like 'sweetheart', 'chocolates', and 'flowers' by playing word games. Learn more about how to use Spellzone word lists here and about our practice methods here.
We hope you have a lovely day!
13 Feb 2019
blog home
