leather-head
The leather-head forgot to bring his umbrella and is standing in the pouring rain with a confused expression.
Definition
- Noun:
- A foolish or stupid person: "leather-head" is a slang term, primarily used in American English, to refer to someone who is considered unintelligent or silly.
- A type of bird: In ornithology, "leather-head" can also refer to a species of bird in the honeyeater family, native to Australia and New Guinea, known for its bare, leathery head.
Usage Examples
Foolish person:
- Don't be such a leather-head; you forgot your keys again! (A direct insult meaning "stupid person.")
- He acted like a complete leather-head during the meeting. (He behaved foolishly.)
Bird:
- The leather-head perched on the branch, its bare skin visible. (A reference to the bird species.)
- We spotted a leather-head in the rainforest during our trip. (A specific bird sighting.)
Advanced Usage
"to call someone a leather-head": to insult someone by implying they are stupid.
- She called him a leather-head after he made a silly mistake. (She insulted his intelligence.)
"leather-headed" (adj): describing someone as foolish or stubborn.
- His leather-headed refusal to listen cost him the job. (His foolish stubbornness.)
Variants and Related Words
Leatherheaded (adj): characterized by stupidity or obstinacy.
- That leatherheaded decision ruined the project. (A foolish choice.)
Leatherhead (n): alternative spelling, used interchangeably.
- He's a real leatherhead, always getting into trouble. (A foolish person.)
Synonyms
- Blockhead: a stupid person.
- Dunce: a person who is slow to learn.
- Simpleton: a foolish or gullible person.
Phrasal Verbs
- None directly associated: "leather-head" is primarily a noun and does not form common phrasal verbs.
Related Idioms
"Thick as a leather-head": an informal idiom meaning very stupid.
- He's as thick as a leather-head when it comes to math. (He is extremely slow to understand.)
"Leather-head logic": a humorous term for flawed reasoning.
- Using leather-head logic, he thought skipping class would improve his grades. (Foolish reasoning.)