Keep your chin up


Remain positive in a tough situation.

Sorry to hear that you were made redundant on the day your buried your mother. Keep your chin up mate.

USA, late 19th century.

Although derived in the USA this idiom is more commonly heard now in Britain.

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.