grin from ear to ear
grin from ear to ear
Meaning
- to have a wide smile extending from one ear to the other, often indicating extreme joy or satisfaction.
- to display a very broad smile, typically revealing all the teeth, as a sign of happiness, contentment, or amusement.
- to smile widely and visibly, with the corners of the mouth reaching up towards the ears, reflecting a state of sheer delight or amusement.
Example Sentences
- When Sophia saw her birthday cake, she grinned from ear to ear.
- After winning the game, Tim couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear.
- Emily’s dad told her a funny joke, and she grinned from ear to ear.
- Seeing his best friend after a long time, Tom grinned from ear to ear.
- The little boy’s face lit up, and he grinned from ear to ear when he got his favorite toy as a gift.
Origin and History
The phrase likely emerged organically from observations of people displaying intense happiness or amusement, causing their facial expressions to stretch broadly. Over time, this vivid description of a large smile became a common idiom in English language usage.
The idiom’s earliest documented appearance in print dates back to 1780, as recorded in Charles Dickens’s novel “Barnaby Rudge.”
“For when Mr Tappertit mounted on an empty cask which stood by way of rostrum in the room, and volunteered a speech upon the alarming crisis then at hand, he placed himself beside the orator, and though he grinned from ear to ear at every word he said,…”
Share your opinions