Etymology Journal · H
He ain't coloring with all his crayons
Meaning
- A gentle and humorous way of suggesting that someone is a few sandwiches short of a picnic. It implies they are missing a few cognitive pieces, but in a way that isn't necessarily mean.
Sarcastic, observational, gentle
Used in a sentence
- I wouldn't trust his advice, he ain't coloring with all his crayons.
- He tries his best, but he ain't coloring with all his crayons.
- It is obvious he ain't coloring with all his crayons.
The backstory
This phrase emerged in the late 20th century as a more creative version of calling someone not quite bright. It uses the imagery of an incomplete set of crayons to illustrate a deficit in mental sharpness.
Heard in
Nationwide
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