English Idioms and Idiomatic Expressions
MADNESS - INSANITY
from: 'away with the fairies' to: 'take leave of one's senses'
- away with the fairies
- Someone who is away with the fairies
is 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!"
- Someone who is away with the fairies
is in such a dreamy state that they are not totally in touch with reality and
give the impression of being slightly mad.
- go bananas
- If someone becomes very emotional and starts
behaving in a crazy way, they go bananas.
"If you announce that you are going to drop out of school, your parents will go bananas!"
- If someone becomes very emotional and starts
behaving in a crazy way, they go bananas.
- (a) basket case
- A person whose 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."
- A person whose agitated mental state leaves them helpless
or unable to cope with things is called a basket case.
- (have) bats in the belfry
- If you say that somebody has bats in
the belfry, you mean that they are eccentric or crazy.
"He comes up with the craziest ideas - he must have bats in the belfry!"
- If you say that somebody has bats in
the belfry, you mean that they are eccentric or crazy.
- have you gone out of your mind?
- If you ask someone if they have 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?"
- If you ask someone if they have gone
out of their mind, you think they are crazy, foolish or insane.
- the lights are on, but no one is home
- This is a humorous way of referring to
someone who is lacking intelligence 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!"
- This is a humorous way of referring to
someone who is lacking intelligence or sanity, or to someone who is simply
preoccupied and not paying attention.
- 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."
- If someone loses their marbles, they become
mentally confused, or no longer behave sensibly or rationally.
- 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; he's not all there!"
- Someone who is
not all there behaves strangely at
times, or seems a bit odd.
- not in one's right mind
- Someone who is not in their right
mind is not behaving in a logical or sensible way.
"Julie wasn't in her right mind the day she bought that outfit. It doesn't suit her at all!"
- Someone who is not in their right
mind is not behaving in a logical or sensible way.
- not playing with a full deck (of cards)
- Someone who is not playing with a full deck (of cards)
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!"
- Someone who is not playing with a full deck (of cards)
lacks intelligence or does not have full mental abilities.
- go nuts
- To say that a person has gone nuts
means that they have become completely foolish, eccentric or mad.
"I think the old lady has gone nuts! It's very hot today and she's wearing a fur coat!"
- To say that a person has gone nuts
means that they have become completely foolish, eccentric or mad.
- (as) nutty as a fruitcake
- Someone who is (as) nutty as a fruitcake
is insane or crazy.
"Don't pay attention to what the old man says; he's as nutty as a fruitcake!"
- Someone who is (as) nutty as a fruitcake
is insane or crazy.
- (be) on another planet
- Someone who is on another planet is oblivious to their
surroundings or acts in a strange manner.
"Charlie couldn’t do the assignment because he was on another planet during the teacher’s explanation."
- Someone who is on another planet is oblivious to their
surroundings or acts in a strange manner.
- 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!"
- If you tell someone that they are
off their rocker, you think they are completely crazy.
- (have) rats in the attic
- If you say that someone has rats in the attic,
you mean that they are a bit mad or that their behaviour is eccentric.
"She keeps repeating the same question. I think she's got rats in the attic."
- If you say that someone has rats in the attic,
you mean that they are a bit mad or that their behaviour is eccentric.
- (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 the summer - she must have a screw loose!"
- If someone has a screw loose,
their behaviour is strange and they appear slightly mad.
- stark raving mad
- To say that someone is stark raving
mad means that they are completely crazy.
"You're stark raving mad to go sailing in this weather."
- To say that someone is stark raving
mad means that they are completely crazy.
- stir crazy
- If a person goes stir-crazy, they become very
agitated or nervous because they have been confined to a place for too long.
"After several days in quarantine, people were going stir-crazy."
- If a person goes stir-crazy, they become very
agitated or nervous because they have been confined to a place for too long.
- 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?"
- To say to someone
'have you taken leave of your senses?'
means that you think their behaviour is
crazy.
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