Entry 1
A fool and his money are soon parted
Meaning A foolish person is very likely to lose his money.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- He’s off to the casino again - ’a fool and his money...’ I say.
Pronunciation
Idioms · 13 entries
Stupidity
What does "Stupidity" mean?
A foolish person is very likely to lose his money.
A fool and his money are soon parted
The United Kingdom - 16th century.
A fool’s paradise
The United Kingdom - 16th century.
A load of cobblers
The United Kingdom.
A load of codswallop
The United Kingdom.
Baby brain
USA, 20th century.
Fool’s gold
USA, 19th century.
Fuddy-duddy
USA, 19th century.
George Raft
Method to my madness
Britain, 17th century. From Shakespeare’s Hamlet, as ‘though this is madness, yet there is method in it’.
Not all there
Britain, 19th century.
Not playing with a full deck
Britain, 20th century.
Off one’s rocker
Britain, 1890s
Stupid-o’clock
Britain, late 20th century.
Entry 2
A fool’s paradise
Meaning A state of euphoria with no basis in reality.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- He thinks he is going to get the top job but there’s no chance of that. He’s just living in a fool’s paradise.
Pronunciation
Entry 3
A load of cobblers
Meaning Nonsense.
Usage Widely used, especially in the UK. Slang and borderline swearing - not one for your Grandma.
Example
- He says he has invented a perpetual motion machine, which is clearly a load of cobblers.
Pronunciation
Entry 4
A load of codswallop
Meaning Nonsense.
Usage Mostly used in the UK but known elsewhere too. Mostly used by the older generation.
Example
- You can’t keep champagne fresh by putting a spoon in the neck of the bottle - that’s a load of codswallop.
Pronunciation
Entry 5
Baby brain
Meaning Confusion or forgetfulness caused by lack of sleep when caring for a new-born.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- I put baby Julie's bottle of milk away in the oven today - must be baby brain.
Pronunciation
Entry 6
Fool's gold
Meaning Something that appears valuable but really isn't, like iron pyrites - a worthless mineral that resembles gold.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- The investment promised 80% returns but turned out to make a loss - just fools gold I guess.
Pronunciation
Entry 7
Fuddy-duddy
Meaning An old-fashioned and foolish type of person.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- He irons his socks. He's a real fuddy-duddy.
Entry 8
George Raft
Meaning Cockney rhyming slang for daft.
Usage Mostly Britain.
Example
- That handstand on the window ledge. You could say he was brave or you could say he was George Raft.
Pronunciation
Entry 9
Method to my madness
Meaning Odd actions that appear meaningless but are done for a good reason.
Usage Worldwide.
Example
- Mixing cooking oil with the petrol might seem a little odd, but just wait, you'll see there's method in my madness.
Pronunciation
Entry 10
Not all there
Meaning Not in possession of one's mental faculties.
Usage Mostly Britain.
Example
- He's a bit slow to learn. Some say he's not quite all there.
Pronunciation
Entry 11
Not playing with a full deck
Meaning Someone who lacks intelligence.
Usage Worldwide, but more common in Britain than elsewhere.
Example
- I asked him to meet me in Derby and he went to Denby. Sometimes I don't think he's playing with a full deck.
Pronunciation
Entry 12
Off one's rocker
Meaning Crazy; out of one's mind.
Usage Worldwide, but more common in Britain than elsewhere.
Example
- Ozzy Osbourne - he's a rocker who is off his rocker!
Pronunciation
Entry 13
Stupid-o'clock
Meaning Very early in the morning.
Usage Mainly Britain, and mainly amongst young adults.
Example
- We were out clubbing until three and then went on to Jack's for a drink. We didn't get home until stupid-o'clock.
Pronunciation