brain (redirected from brains)

ain't got the brains God gave a squirrel and ain't got the sense God gave geese

Rur. is or are very foolish. There goes John, running around barefooted in the snow. He ain't got the brains God gave a squirrel. No use trying to explain anything to Jane. She ain't got the sense God gave geese.

See also: god, got, squirrel

beat someone's brains out 

1. to hit or batter someone severely. She threatened to beat my brains out. Those thugs nearly beat his brains out.

2. to drive oneself hard (to accomplish something). I beat my brains out all day to clean this house, and you come in and get dirt on the car-pet! Don't beat your brains out. Just give it a good try.

See also: beat, out

beat one's brains out (to do something)

to try very hard to do something. If you think I'm going to beat my brains out to do this, you are crazy. I beat out my brains to do this for you! Iwon't beat my brains out again for you!

See also: beat, out

blow someone's brains out

Sl. to kill someone with a gun. Careful with that gun, or you'll blow your brains out. Max was so depressed that he wanted to blow out his brains.

See also: blow, out

brain someone

Fig. to strike a person hard on the skull as if to knock out the person's brains. (Often said as a vain threat.) I thought he was going to brain me, but he only hit me on the shoulder. If you don't do it, I'll brain you.

have one's brain on a leash

Sl. to be drunk. Maxhad his brain on a leash before he even got to the party. Some guy who had his brain on a leash ran his car off the road.

See also: have, leash

idle brain is the devil's workshop

Prov. People who have nothing worthwhile to think about will usually think of something bad to do. We need to figure out something constructive for Tom to do in the afternoons after school. An idle brain is the devil's workshop.

See also: idle

pick someone's brain(s)

Fig. to talk with someone to find out information about something. I spent the afternoon with Donna, picking her brain for ideas to use in our celebration. Do you mind if I pick your brains? I need some fresh ideas.

See also: pick

rack one's brain(s)

Fig. to try very hard to think of something. I racked my brains all afternoon, but couldn't remember where I put the book. Don't waste any more time racking your brain. Go borrow the book from the library.

See also: rack

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a bird-brain  (informal)

a stupid person He's just a bird-brain - he can't get anything right. (informal)

a brain box  (British & Australian informal)

a very intelligent person Come on brain box, what's the answer?

See also: box

a brain drain

the movement of people with education and skills from their own country to another country where they are paid more for their work There is a brain drain of British mathematicians to the United States.

See also: drain

a brain trust  (American & Australian)

a group of people with special knowledge or skills who give advice to someone in a position of authority He joined the President's brain trust for the election campaign.

See also: trust

be all brawn and no brains

to be physically strong but not very intelligent I agree he's got a good body, but he's all brawn and no brains.

See also: and

be brain dead  (humorous)

if someone is brain dead, their mind is not working effectively, usually because they are very tired or very bored By the time I leave work I'm completely brain dead.

See also: dead

be out of your brain  (British very informal)

to be very drunk By the time I arrived at the party he was out of his brain.

See also: out

be the brains behind something

to be the person who plans and organizes something, especially something successful He was the brains behind many of the best movies ever made.

See beat brains out, blow brains out, pick brains, rack brain

See also: behind

beat your brains out

to spend a lot of time worrying about a problem and thinking about how to deal with it (often + doing sth) I've been beating my brains out trying to think of a way of getting the money to her in time.

See also: beat, out

blow somebody's brains out

to kill someone by shooting them in the head After two unsuccessful suicide attempts, she finally blew her brains out.

See also: blow, out

get your brain in gear  (informal)

to make yourself start thinking clearly and effectively I've got to get my brain in gear for the meeting this afternoon.

See also: gear, get

have something on the brain  (informal)

to not be able to stop thinking or talking about one particular thing You've got cars on the brain. Can't we talk about something else for a change?

See rack brain

See also: have

have shit for brains  (American & Australian taboo)

to be very stupid What are you talking about, Martha? You've got shit for brains.

See also: have, shit

pick somebody's brains

to ask for information or advice from someone who knows more about a subject than you do I'd love to pick your brains about computers - you seem to be the expert around here.

See also: pick

rack your brain/brains

to think very hard, usually in order to remember something or to find a solution to a problem I've been racking my brains but I still can't remember who wrote that play.

See go to rack and ruin

See also: rack

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your brains out

as much as possible The people in this town want to go to the game and scream their brains out all afternoon.

Related vocabulary: your ass off

See also: out

beat somebody's brains out

1. to seriously hurt someone I was afraid he was going to come back and beat my brains out.

2. to severely criticize someone How could I win the election with that guy on the radio beating my brains out every day?

See also: beat, out

blow somebody's brains out

to shoot someone in the head He pulled out his revolver and blew her brains out. Related vocabulary: blow somebody away

See also: blow, out

pick somebody's brains also pick somebody's brain

to get information and advice from someone The new kids can pick the brains of guys who have played against these teams before.

See also: pick

rack your brains also rack your brain

to try very hard to remember or think of something She racked her brains for a subject they could discuss without an argument.

See also: rack

the brains behind something

the person who provides ideas and plans for an activity Someone very clever must be the brains behind such an organized group of thieves.

See also: behind