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Idiom: Have a few screws loose
At one time or another, we all seem to have a few screws loose.
For some people, it happens more often than for others.
So, what does it mean to have a few screws loose?
Well, it means to act strangely or somehow seem mentally ill.
I have to note that you should not use this idiom to refer to people suffering from mental illness.
Suffering from any disease is never funny and should never be made fun of for any reason.
If a part, such as a screw, of a machine breaks or falls off, it may cause the device to work improperly or strangely.
We apply this logic to people as well. If someone acts inappropriately or strangely, you may hear someone say they have a few screws loose.
Sometimes it seems, from our point of view, that someone has made a stupid decision, such as wearing shorts in the winter or buying a vintage car with the intention of restoring it.
You and I know that you will be cold if you wear shorts in the winter.
It’s also common knowledge that restoring a vintage car is expensive and time-consuming.
When people make these decisions, they either know what they are doing or have a few screws loose.
There are times, though, when having a few screws loose may be good.
Comedians, for example, can entertain us with their antics.
The crazier they are, the more opportunities they have to earn a living.
When inventors, product developers or researchers propose off-the-wall ideas, the general public may feel they have a few screws loose.
However, sometimes, the strangest ideas lead to the most innovative discoveries.
Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test
This post is understandable by someone with at least a 7th-grade education (age 12).
On the Flesch-Kincaid reading-ease test, this post scores 73.
The easier a passage is to read, the higher the score on a scale of 0 – 100.