Also: Hang one’s head in shame
Meaning of Idiom ‘Hang One’s Head’
To hang (your, his, her) head means to express shame, contrition, or embarrassment; to appear embarrassed or ashamed. 1,2
Examples Of Use
“Nobody should be hanging their head,” said the coach. “We’re all winners here.”
“The student hung his head in shame after failing the quiz.”
Origin
Used since the 1200s, this idiom alludes to physically lowering one’s head as an expression of embarrassment, shame, contrition, or remorse.
25 Body Parts Idioms | Idioms Online Video
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More Idioms About Embarrassment
More Body Part Idioms
- Go Belly Up
- Stand On Someone’s Shoulders
- In One’s Face
- Give Someone the Cold Shoulder
- Know Something Like the Back Of One’s Hand
- Out of the Corner of One’s Eye
More Hang Idioms
- Low-Hanging Fruit
- Hang Out to Dry
- Have Something Hanging Over Your Head
- Hang Tough
- Hang On (or hang on to)
More Head Idioms
- Have Something Hanging Over Your Head
- Hard-Headed
- Running Around Like a Chicken With its Head Cut Off
- Off the Top Of My Head
- Hit the Nail On the Head
- Head Of The Class
- Go To Someone’s Head
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References- Ammer, Christine. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.
- Kirkpatrick, Elizabeth M. The Wordsworth Dictionary of Idioms. Ware: Wordsworth, 1995.