keep your head above water
/ˌkiːp jə ˌhed əˌbʌv ˈwɔːtə/NEUTRAL · C2
Meaning
to only just manage in a difficult situation
Examples
- 1With three essays due this week, I'm only just keeping my head above water.
- 2After the twins were born, Sam struggled to keep his head above water.
- 3The new manager gets so many emails that she can barely keep her head above water.
- 4Between night shifts and the new baby, Tom is only just keeping his head above water.
- 5How did the small café keep its head above water during a year of roadworks outside?
Grammar
keep changes form: kept, keeping. your changes: my, his, its. Often with just or barely.
Similar in meaning
More idioms about the body
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →give someone the cold shoulderto ignore someone on purpose and be unfriendlylet your hair downto relax and enjoy yourself much more freely than usualelbow greasehard physical effort, especially when cleaningkeep an eye onto watch or look after someone or somethingturn a blind eyeto ignore something that you know is wronggive someone a handto help someone, especially with a practical job
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
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