Street voices
Hugues
·
United States
"My heart skipped a beat. A phrase said to indicate a very sharp and sudden rush of emotions, whether it's fear, anxiety, or romance. Yo, dude, look at that girl over there. She's pretty, ain't she? Let me take a look. Oh my God. I think my heart just skipped a beat."
What it means
Means you get a sudden jolt of fear, nerves, or excitement, like your heart literally missed one thump. People use it for jump scares, crushes, near-misses, and nasty prices, anywhere your body does that little panic hiccup. It’s not medical talk, just a dramatic way to say you were properly startled or thrilled in the moment.
Usage examples
"My heart skipped a beat when the mechanic said it'll be nine hundred quid, mate. I just stood there like a muppet, pretending I’d misheard."
"My heart skipped a beat when I opened the envelope and saw I had won the scholarship, I had to read it three times to believe it."
"I swear my heart skipped a beat when I saw her name pop up on my phone at 1 a.m."
"My heart skipped a beat when the ladder wobbled under me, proper instant soul-leaving-body stuff."
"I nearly skipped a beat when my manager pinged me with can we chat for a sec right before lunch. Proper evil timing, that."
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Where it comes from
This one’s been around in English since at least the 1800s. It grows out of the older idea that strong emotion can make the heart feel irregular for a split second. From there, skip a beat became the everyday dramatic line for that flash of fear, nerves, shock, or swoony excitement.
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