What it means
If you're head over heels, you're completely in love and not even pretending to act normal about it. Your brain's gone a bit soft, your mates can see it, and every text from that person feels like fireworks in a biscuit tin. It can also mean an actual tumble, but in everyday chat it's mostly the full-on smitten one.
Usage examples
"He's head over heels for her, turning up with Tesco flowers and offering to carry her bags. We met her Tuesday, and he's already planning Sunday roast."
"They met in March and by summer he was head over heels, planning weekend trips and learning to cook her favourite meals."
"She's properly head over heels, mate. Been seeing him two weeks and she's already stealing his hoodies and smiling at her phone like a lunatic."
"He said he's not fussed, but he's head over heels and everybody knows it. Man rearranged his whole weekend just to get brunch with her."
"I swear he's head over heels. She sent one voice note and this man's been grinning at the wall all evening."
Where it comes from
It started out in earlier English as heels over head, which was the more literal way to describe a tumble. By the 18th century, head over heels became the usual form and stuck. The romantic meaning grew from that upside-down image, with love flipping your sense and leaving you gloriously unbalanced.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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