Heels: Head Over

The key shift was the association of the with logic and the heels with stability. To go Head Over Heels is to abandon both. You lose your rational mind (your head) and your grounded footing (your heels). What remains is pure, uncontrollable emotion.

The first known literary use of the modern version appears in David Garrick’s 1771 play The Country Girl , where a character describes being tumbled down a hill. The physical sensation of losing control was the entire point. Head Over Heels

The phrase endures because every human being, regardless of culture or age, understands the sensation of being upended. Whether you are a teenager with a first crush, an athlete diving for a ball, or a grandparent reminiscing about a whirlwind courtship, you know what it feels like to have your world flipped. The key shift was the association of the