Englishall wet
Meaning: Wrong to the point of being silly or unbelievable.
Example: “If you think the moon landing was faked, you're all wet.”
Origin: American slang for being completely wrong, on record from 1923, though no source manages to explain why wetness specifically came to stand for mistaken thinking. A related, slightly earlier sense — "wet" meaning ineffectual or feeble — appears by 1896, and the word's much older slang association with drunkenness, dating back to around 1700, may have fed into the idea of a mind too fogged or unsteady to be trusted. Whatever the precise chain, by the early 20th century "all wet" had become a standard, punchy way of dismissing an opinion as entirely mistaken.
More English idioms
- at loggerheads In strong disagreement, in a quarrel; at an impasse.
- at one's wits' end At a loss about what to do next; in a state of frustration.
- at the drop of a hat On any pretext; without needing an excuse or reason.
- at the end of one's rope No longer able to deal with a bad situation.
- ax to grind A hidden reason for wanting something or for not liking someone or something.
- backhanded compliment A criticism that is phrased in such a way that it appears to be a compliment.
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