IdiomThe Absurd
English
Englishhave all one's marbles
Meaning: To be of sound mind.
Example: “At ninety-five she still has all her marbles.”
Origin: The positive form of "lose one's marbles," American slang from the early 20th century, where marbles stand for one's wits. It is usually used in the negative.
Equivalents in other languages
Czech: Mít všech pět pohromadě Literally: To have all five together
More English idioms
- thumb one's nose at To show contempt or mockery for someone or something.
- saw off the branch one is sitting on To harm one's own position or interests.
- go around the houses To take a needlessly long or roundabout way.
- do the heavy lifting To do the hardest part of a job.
- ask for trouble To behave in a way likely to cause problems for oneself.
- worth the price of admission So entertaining that it would be worth paying to watch.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? A 'w/ch/ck' drill that accelerates comically — and nobody really knows the answer.
- The sixth sick sheikh's sixth sheep's sick. Believed by Guinness to be among the hardest in English — 'six/sick/sheikh/sheep' blur in…
- Betty Botter bought some butter, but she said the butter's bitter. A 'b / t / tt' plosive drill that bounces between Betty, butter, and bitter.
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