lose one's marbles
Meaning: To go crazy.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “Talking to the tomatoes doesn't mean Grandpa has lost his marbles.”
Category: The Absurd
Origin: "Marbles" for wits is American slang from the late 19th century, perhaps from a child's grief at losing the game's marbles, or from a mishearing of French "meubles," one's furniture and so one's belongings.
Equivalents in other languages
- Spanish: perder la chaveta — literally: to lose the pin
More idioms — The Absurd
- think outside the box — To find an unconventional solution.
- where the sun doesn't shine — Somewhere hidden; also a rude way of naming the body.
- away with the fairies — Daydreaming, or not quite in touch with reality.
- something is rotten in the state of Denmark — Something is seriously wrong, often something being hidden.
- all hell breaks loose — Chaos and disorder suddenly erupt.
- Ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard — It's nothing special or impressive.
More English idioms
- with only the clothes on one's back — With no possessions at all.
- well, I never! — An exclamation of surprise or disbelief.
- luck out — To have unexpected good luck.
- the heart of the matter — The most important part of an issue.
- put in one's two cents — To give one's opinion, whether or not it was asked for.
- play cat and mouse — To toy with someone one has power over.
From our tongue twisters
- Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. — A relentless 'p' plosive drill; a peck is an old dry measure of about nine litres.
- Unique New York. — Three words that jam the 'y/n/k' sequence together — repeat it and it collapses into 'you…
- Pad kid poured curd pulled cod. — Alternating repetition — the consonants swap at the start of every other word, which is w…