Are you nuts? Derivation, please,

Factual Questions
1

Why do we call someone who’s a little crazy “nuts”?
Peace,
mangeorge

2

In the mid-19th Century, the phrase was “off one’s nut.” Later, “out of one’s nut.” Nut meant one’s head earlier than that. To be * off or out of* your nut was logically shortened to you’re nuts.

Most of this comes from reading JE Lighter, American Slang.

3

Thanks, samclem.
Makes sense to me.
Peace,
mangeorge

4

Here’s another good source for such info (word etiology):
http://www.word-detective.com
http://www.word-detective.com/041899.html#nuts

5

Thanks, JillGat. I’d lost that site. :slight_smile:
Peace,
mangeorge

6

word etiology?

7

That’s what caused the lost “m”. Y? Who can tell, but you’ll have to pistachio the moderatoreadors. They’re almond.