screwy

/'skru:i/

Học thuật

Thân thiện

This old clock is completely screwy and never shows the right time.

Definition

Adjective:
- Not behaving normally; eccentric or irrational: Used informally to describe a person, idea, or situation that seems strange, foolish, or slightly crazy.
- Absurd or illogical: Can describe plans, schemes, or reasoning that is nonsensical or wildly impractical.

Usage and Examples

Describing a person's behavior or mental state:
- He's been acting a bit screwy ever since he started that new project.
- Don't listen to him; he's just screwy today.
Describing an idea, plan, or situation:
- That's the most screwy idea I've ever heard.
- The whole situation is completely screwy; nothing makes sense.

Advanced Usage and Nuance

Informal and Mildly Derogatory: "Screwy" is a casual, slang term. It is often humorous and implies foolishness rather than serious mental illness. It is less harsh than words like "insane" or "crazy."
"to have a screw loose": A related idiom meaning to be slightly crazy or eccentric.
- He must have a screw loose to think that plan would work.
Historical Connection: The term derives from the idea of a mechanical screw being loose, implying something is not functioning correctly, which was then applied to the mind.

Variants and Related Words

Screwball (n. & adj.): An eccentric or crazy person; irrational or zany.
- He's a real screwball; you never know what he'll do next.
Screwed up (adj. - phrasal verb participle): Messed up, dysfunctional, or emotionally confused. (Note: This is a distinct phrasal verb form, not the target word "screwy").
- The instructions are all screwed up.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Idioms and Phrases

Go screwy: To become confused or stop working correctly.
- My computer has gone screwy on me again.
(As) screwy as a...: A simile used for emphasis (e.g., "as screwy as a football bat," an American idiom emphasizing absurdity).

This old clock is completely screwy and never shows the right time.

Adjective

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