to make your toes curl (up) - idiom meaning?

Question

What is the meaning of "to make your toes curl (up)" idiom?

Answer 1

 

Idiom Conjugations:

 

Answer 2

Gerund Form of the Idiom:

Making one's toes curl can be caused by an embarrassing situation.
 

Answer 3

Idiom Usage:

"to make your toes curl"
This idiom can be used when:

• you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable for yourself
• you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable for someone else.

"to make your toes curl (up)"
This idiom can be used when:

• you feel excitement
• you feel eager or passionate

 
You can use both forms of this idiom interchangeably without penalty.
 
The verb curl up is a phrasal verb and can be used according to the rules of phrasal verbs.  For example, (He was curling up his toes when his sports team won.) and (He was curling his toes up when his sports team won.) have the same meaning.
 

Answer 4

Idiom Scenario 2:

Your browser does not support the audio element.
Patricia was telling her friend Nancy about riding the bus on her way home from work recently.  She had been sitting behind two men who were loudly talking about their recent visits to their doctors.  The men were sharing some very personal medical details about their intimate body parts.  Patricia told Susan...

"I was so uncomfortable that it made my toes curl!"

In this case, the men were not embarrassed or uncomfortable.  Patricia was uncomfortable overhearing intimate details about strangers.

 

Idiom Scenario 3:

Your browser does not support the audio element.
Jillian is a ten year old girl.  She loves her dolls.  She has a large collection of dolls and plays with them all the time.  One of Jillian's favorite things to do is to visit the toy store.  The toy store has hundreds of dolls of all shapes and sizes.  When Jillian visits the toy store...

"Her little toes curl up in excitement."

Answer 5

Idiom Scenario 1:

Your browser does not support the audio element.
Michael was enjoying a nice walk in the park.  He stopped at a fountain for a drink of water.  He was watching an overweight man who was ordering a hot dog from a street vendor.  The fat man was paying for his hot dog when he accidentally dropped the money on the ground.  As the big man was bending over to pick up his money, his pants stretched so tightly that..."R-R-R-I-I-I-P" went his pants.  Michael could see the fat man's underwear.

"Michael's feeling of embarrassment for the poor fat man made his toes curl."

Answer 6

Idiom Definition:

Your browser does not support the audio element.
"to make your toes curl"

to feel very uncomfortable usually because of embarrassment
 

Synonyms:
awkward, awkwardness, bashful, bashfulness, chagrin, confusion, destitute, destitution, dilemma, discomfiture, discomfort, disconcert, disconcerting, distress, inhibit, inhibition, mortify, mortification, pickle, self-conscious, self-consciousness, shy, shyness, timid, timidity, unease, uneasiness
 
 

 

"to make your toes curl (up)"

to feel excitement or exhilaration

These toes are literally curling up. - - - - ->