Skip a beat Meaning in English
expression
ˈskɪp/ /ˈeɪ/, /ə/ /ˈbit
SKIP-uh-BEET
skˈɪp/ /æɪ/ /bˈiːt
SKIP-uh-BEET
Definition
To experience a moment of strong surprise, excitement, fear, or nervousness, which feels like your heart missed a beat. Often used to describe an emotional reaction.
Usage & Nuances
Usually informal and figurative, describing strong emotions. Common with 'my heart', as in 'my heart skipped a beat'. Not for literal heart problems in a medical context.
Spanish: saltarse un latidoPortuguese (BR): pular uma batida (do coração)Portuguese (PT): falhar um batimentoChinese (Simplified): 漏跳一下（心脏）Chinese (Traditional): 漏跳一下（心臟）Hindi: धड़कन चूकनाArabic: تجاوز نبضةBengali: হৃদয় কেঁপে উঠা - বুক থমকে যাওয়াRussian: ёкнуть сердце - сердце замерлоJapanese: 胸がドキッとする - 心臓が一瞬止まるVietnamese: tim đập hụt một nhịp - tim như ngừng đậpKorean: 가슴이 철렁하다 - 심장이 멎는 듯하다Turkish: yüreği ağzına gelmek - kalbi yerinden fırlayacak gibi olmakUrdu: دل ہل جانا - دل کا دھڑکنا رک جانا (محاورتاً)Indonesian: jantungku serasa berhenti berdetak - jantungku nyaris berhenti
Example Sentences
The loud noise made my heart skip a beat.
basic
When I saw the test results, my heart skipped a beat.
basic
Her smile made my heart skip a beat.
basic
Wow, that close call really made my heart skip a beat.
natural
Every time the phone rings late at night, my heart skips a beat.
natural
Just watching that scary movie scene made my heart skip a beat.
natural