ɒf wʌnz ˈrɒkər
General
informal
intermediate
- Literally:
- Fallen off a rocking chair
What does "off one's rocker" mean?
- Crazy or insane
- Acting in an irrational manner
Examples
- You must be off your rocker to try that.
- He's completely off his rocker.
- Are you off your rocker? That's a terrible idea!
Origin
From the image of an elderly person falling off their rocking chair—suggesting mental instability or confusion.
How to use it
Informal and somewhat dated. Can be affectionate or critical depending on tone.
Similar expressions
crazy
insane
nuts
out of one's mind
Opposites
sane
rational
sensible
Related idioms
- actions speak louder than words
What people do is more important than what they say
- better safe than sorry
It's better to be careful and prevent problems than to take risks
- so far so good
Things have gone well up to now
- easier said than done
Something is more difficult to do than to talk about
- make a long story short
To summarize or get to the point
- to make matters worse
In addition to existing problems
Use it in a practice answer
Try "off one's rocker" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.