trying to make heads or tails

Definitions

• express confusion
  Expressing difficulty in understanding or making sense of something, often used when trying to comprehend a complex or confusing situation or problem

• attempt to understand
  Making an effort to comprehend or make sense of something, often used when trying to figure out a difficult or puzzling situation

Examples of trying to make heads or tails

• I have been trying to understand this complex math problem, but it feels like I'm trying to make heads or tails of a bag of mixed-up coins.

  This idiom is often used to express frustration or confusion when trying to decipher something that seems illogical or unfamiliar. In this case, the speaker is comparing the difficulty of the math problem to the challenge of sorting through a group of foreign coins with no clear markings or patterns. The phrase "making heads or tails" refers to distinguishing between the two opposing sides of a coin—the "head" (usually featuring a portrait or symbol) and the "tail" (often blank or featuring a different design). By describing the math problem as a similarly confusing mass of unsorted objects, the speaker is conveying just how much trouble they're having.

• I've been flipping through this stack of mix-matched paperwork, but I'm having a hard time trying to make heads or tails of it all.

  This idiom is commonly used when someone is having difficulty understanding or deciphering something that seems confusing or disorganized. The phrase "making heads or tails" refers to attempts at discerning or identifying a shape or pattern from a jumbled or unfamiliar situation. In this example, the speaker is grappling with an unintelligible mess of papers, and is struggling to determine their significance or meaning.

• After staring at the math problem for 10 minutes, I felt like I was trying to make heads or tails of it.

  Here, "making heads or tails" is a metaphor for understanding something completely. In this example, the person is struggling to comprehend a math problem, feeling like they can't decipher what it's asking or how to solve it, much as they might be unable to tell which side of a coin is heads or which is tails when looking at it upside-down.

• I've been trying to make heads or tails of this new technology our company is implementing, but it's still completely confusing to me.

  Here, the person is having difficulty coming to terms with a new technology or system. They're struggling to understand how it works, much as they might be unable to determine which side of a coin is heads or which is tails when they see it for the first time.

• The police are trying to make heads or tails of the evidence they've collected, but they haven't been able to connect the dots yet.

  Here, the police are investigating a case and trying to figure out what the evidence means, much as they might be trying to determine which side of a coin is heads or which is tails when they've found several coins but can't match them up yet.

• The senator's remarks left me trying to make heads or tails of his stance on the issue.

  Here, the person is having difficulty understanding the senator's position on an issue. They're struggling to decipher his statements, much as they might be unable to determine which side of a coin is heads or which is tails when the senator's statements are contradictory or unclear.

Conclusion

The idiom "trying to make heads or tails" is used to express confusion or an attempt to understand something. It is often used when someone is struggling to make sense of a complex or puzzling situation. The intention is to convey the difficulty in understanding or making sense of something, and it is commonly used in everyday conversations to express confusion or to indicate an effort to comprehend a difficult situation.

Origin of "trying to make heads or tails"

The origin of the idiom "trying to make heads or tails" is unclear, but it is believed to have originated from the difficulty of understanding or making sense of something that is complex or confusing. The expression is thought to have originated from the idea of trying to distinguish between the head and tail of a coin, which can be challenging when the coin is flipped quickly. Over time, the idiom has come to represent the struggle to understand or make sense of something, and it is commonly used in English language to convey confusion or an attempt to comprehend a difficult situation. Examples of the idiom can be found in literature, music, and everyday conversations, where it is used to express the challenge of understanding or making sense of something.