phrase🎓 English idiom
keep your chin up
to stay positive in a hard time
What it means
To stay cheerful and remain brave during a difficult or discouraging time. It is often said to encourage someone not to give up hope.
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Examples
- I know the diagnosis is scary, but keep your chin up and stay strong.
- Keep your chin up; you'll find a new job soon enough.
- Even after losing the match, the coach told the players to keep their chins up.
- She kept her chin up through months of setbacks and never lost hope.
Where it comes from
An early 20th-century expression of American origin; a raised chin suggests confidence, while a lowered one signals defeat or sadness.
Related idioms
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