# one's heart in one's mouth

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/ones-heart-in-ones-mouth
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A state of nervousness.

## Examples

- I had my heart in my mouth during the scary movie.
- As the plane started to shake during the storm, I had my heart in my mouth.
- With his heart in his mouth, he stepped onto the stage to address the silent, expectant crowd for the first time.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.