weak in the knees

/wiːk ɪn ðə niːz/
phrase★Intermediate— feeling faint or overcome with emotion◆idiom
◆ What It Really Means
Feeling faint or unsteady due to strong emotions like love, fear, or excitement.
Literal Meaning
Having physically weak or unstable knees.
Literal Breakdown
weaklacking strength or firmness+in the kneesreferring to the joints in the legs
◇ Mental Image
The mental image is of someone's legs feeling so weak that they might collapse, often due to overwhelming emotion.
◈ When to Use
A person sees someone they deeply love or admires and feels so emotional that they feel physically weak and unsteady.
◉ Cultural Note
This idiom reflects the cultural idea that strong emotions can have physical effects on the body, particularly making one feel weak or unsteady.
informal

Feeling faint, dizzy, or unsteady due to strong emotion, excitement, or attraction.

The sight of the cliff made him weak in the knees.

He felt dizzy and unsteady from fear or vertigo.

She got weak in the knees when her favorite singer appeared on stage.

She was so excited and emotionally affected that she felt physically weak.

💡

This idiom is often used to describe physical reactions to strong emotions like love, fear, or excitement.

Related Phrases

weak at the kneesidiom
Feeling faint or unsteady due to strong emotion
knees buckleidiom
To feel weak or unsteady, often from fear or shock

💡Pro Tip

Emotional vs. Physical

This phrase is used for emotional reactions, not literal physical weakness.

⚡Gold Rule

Context Matters

Use this idiom in casual conversations to describe strong emotional reactions.

📖Word Origin

The phrase likely originates from the idea that strong emotions can cause physical weakness, particularly in the legs, making one feel unsteady or faint.

📝Usage Notes

This idiom is commonly used in informal contexts to describe emotional or physical reactions. It is not typically used in formal or professional settings.

English Dictionary