Ret's Word of the Day: Have a screw loose

A person trying to get their fish to jump hoops: having a screw loose

Have a screw loose

/hæv ə ˈskruː luːs/

(Pronounced: hav uh skroo loos)

Definition

The meaning: Have a screw loose refers to someone who is acting strangely or appears to have an unusual way of thinking, suggesting a lack of proper judgment or mental stability ↔ Avoir une case de vide ou [familier] travailler du chapeau.

Example of use: "Sometimes I think my neighbour has a screw loose; he talks to his plants for hours!"

Dialogue

Thebe: "Did you see Lebo trying to train his goldfish to jump through hoops?"
Palesa: "Yeah, I think he has a screw loose!"
Thebe: "It's either that, or he's just really bored."
Palesa: "Either way, it's pretty entertaining to watch!"

Etymology

The origin of the phrase have a screw loose is believed to date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. It likely stems from the idea of machinery or mechanical devices with a loose screw, leading to improper functioning or erratic behaviour.

Audience

When to use: It's best suited for casual or humorous situations. It’s often used lightheartedly to comment on quirky or odd behaviour, though it can occasionally carry a slightly negative connotation, so care should be taken when using it in sensitive contexts.

News Snippet

"I think Jake [Paul] making this fight happen shows us that he recognizes, 'I don't want to wait five months.' It's not going to have the same time of enthusiasm to wait that long for a Mike Tyson fight. We're still going to watch it, but to give us something in-between, and it's a risky fight, just kind of shows that he has a screw loose, but he also knows if he does well, right, his brand is just going to keep going to the top." [Sportskeeda.com]

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Ret's Word of the Day