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| Away with the fairies |
To say that someone is away with the fairies means that they
are in such a dreamy state that they are not totally in touch with reality and give the impression of being slightly mad. "It's no use trying to explain the problem to her - she's away with the fairies!" |
| Go bananas | If someone becomes very emotional and starts behaving in a crazy way, they go bananas. "If you announce that you're going to drop out of school, your parents will go bananas! |
| Basket case |
A person who's agitated mental state leaves them helpless or
unable to cope with things is called a basket case. "Jenny will turn into a basket case if this stressful situation continues." |
| Have bats in the belfry | If you say that somebody has bats in the belfry, you
are saying that their ideas are completely mad. |
| Fool's errand |
If you go on a fool's errand, you try to do something which is
useless, unnecessary or has no chance of success. "I realized it was a fool's errand to look for a bank in such an isolated region." |
| The lights are on, but no one is home |
A humorous way of referring to a person who is lacking
intellect and/or sanity, or to someone who is simply preoccupied and not paying attention. "Forget about Andy today - the lights are on but no one is home!" |
| Lose one's marbles |
If someone loses their marbles, they become mentally confused,
or no longer behave sensibly or rationally. "The old man is acting very strangely. He seems to have lost his marbles." |
| Have you gone out of your mind? | If you ask
someone if they've gone out of their mind, you think they are crazy, foolish or insane. "You're going to ask for a 100% increase in salary? Have you gone out of your mind?" |
| Not all there | Someone who is not all there behaves strangely at times, or seems
a bit odd. "Our new neighbour wears a hat and coat even in summer; I don't think he's quite all there!" |
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Not playing with a full deck (of cards) |
Someone who is not playing with a full deck lacks intelligence or
does not have full mental abilities. "Old Mrs.Whitehead was not playing with a full deck when she bought that fancy lawnmower!" |
| Go nuts | To say that a person has gone nuts means that they
have become completely foolish, eccentric or mad. |
| Off your rocker! |
If you tell someone that they are off their rocker, you think
they are completely crazy! "You're going to give all your money away! You're off your rocker!" |
| Have a screw loose | If someone has a screw
loose, their behaviour is strange and they appear slightly mad. "She wears a fur coat in summer - she must have a screw loose!" |
| Stark raving mad | If you refer to someone as stark raving mad, you mean that they
are completely crazy "You're stark raving mad to go sailing in this weather." |
| Stir-crazy |
If a person is or goes stir-crazy, they become very agitated or
nervous because they have been confined to one place for too long. "After several days in quarantine, people were going stir-crazy." |
| Take leave of one's senses |
To say to someone 'have you taken leave of your senses?' means that you think their behaviour is crazy! "You're going skiing in this blizzard? Have you taken leave of your senses?" |
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