screw loose

Meanings

1. 1phraseidiominformalhumorous

   Behaving in a strange, silly, or unreasonable way, especially in the phrase have a screw loose.

   Grammar: Used almost only in the pattern have a screw loose, with have or got: She's got a screw loose.

   Patterns

   • have a screw loose
   • got a screw loose
   • seem to have a screw loose

   He talks to his plants every morning — I think he's got a screw loose.

   She must have a screw loose to quit a good job like that.

   After the third crazy idea in one week, we joked that our boss had a screw loose.

2. 2phrasefixed phrase

   Having a screw that is not tightened, so a machine or object rattles or works badly.

   Grammar: Used literally about physical objects; often with be or come: The hinge has a screw loose.

   Patterns

   • have a screw loose
   • come loose
   • a loose screw

   The door handle has a screw loose, so it wobbles when you turn it.

   If your glasses feel wobbly, one of the screws may have come loose.

   The shelf fell down because a screw was loose.

Common combinations

have a screw loose

You must have a screw loose to go swimming in this freezing weather.

got a screw loose

My neighbor has got a screw loose — he mows his lawn at midnight.

a loose screw

A loose screw in the chair made it unsafe to sit on.

come loose

One of the screws came loose, so the cabinet door wouldn't close.

Synonyms and how they differ

crazy

Much stronger and can be offensive; use screw loose for a playful, joking comment.

eccentric

More formal and neutral, describing odd but harmless behavior; screw loose is informal and teasing.

unhinged

Suggests serious mental instability and is harsh; screw loose is lighter and often humorous.

Opposites

Commonly confused: screw loose or loose screw?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “screw loose”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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