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Etymology Journal · O

Off your rocker

Meaning

You use this to tell someone they are acting crazy or being completely irrational. It implies that their brain has tipped over just like a rocking chair pushed too far.

Playful, skeptical

Used in a sentence

  • You want to go skydiving in this weather? You must be off your rocker.
  • If you think I am paying that much for a used car, you are off your rocker.
  • The boss is off his rocker if he thinks we can finish this project by noon.

The backstory

Popularized in the early 20th century, this phrase likely refers to the physical rocking chair. When someone went too far, they would lose their balance and tip over.

Heard in

Nationwide

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