lose one's marbles

lose one's marbles: vb

to become deranged or feeble-minded, go crazy. Marbles, when referring to male faculties, usually refers to testicles, but in this case one's wits or intelligence are in question. The origin of this phrase is uncertain, in spite of many attempts to clarify the choice of words (marbles have been seen as a synonym for the bearings which allow a machine to operate or as part of a catchphrase based on a story in which a monkey steals a boy's marbles). What is undisputed is that the expression originated in the USA.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

lose one's marbles — ► lose one s mind (or marbles) informal go insane. Main Entry: ↑lose … English terms dictionary
lose one's marbles — go crazy, become insane, lose one s mind … English contemporary dictionary
lose one's marbles — If someone loses their marbles, they become mentally confused, or no longer behave sensibly or rationally. The old man is acting very strangely. He seems to have lost his marbles … English Idioms & idiomatic expressions
lose one's marbles — {v. phr.} To go mad; become crazed. * /Stan must have lost his marbles; he is hopelessly pursuing a happily married woman./ … Dictionary of American idioms
lose one's marbles — {v. phr.} To go mad; become crazed. * /Stan must have lost his marbles; he is hopelessly pursuing a happily married woman./ … Dictionary of American idioms
lose\ one's\ marbles — v. phr. To go mad; become crazed. Stan must have lost his marbles; he is hopelessly pursuing a happily married woman … Словарь американских идиом
lose one's marbles — go crazy or act irrationally He seems to have lost his marbles and doesn t make any sense at all … Idioms and examples
lose one's marbles — Vrb phrs. To go crazy, to lose control … English slang and colloquialisms
Lose one's marbles — go insane … Dictionary of Australian slang
lose one's marbles — Australian Slang go insane … English dialects glossary

Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias