Lost His Marbles Origin

The orgin of the phrase is unknown but has been referenced numerous times in popular culuture.

Lost his marbles origin. What does lost his marbles expression mean. Can you tell me the origin of the expression he has lost his marbles meaning gone mad or lost his reason or done something really stupid being a londoner myself i suspected it might be a cockney expression but i recently heard it in peter pan where the uncle who is not quite compos mentis is said to have found his lost marbles. Such as in the peter pan film hook from the 90 s. Meaning and origin of the phrase to lose one s marbles.

Definitions by the largest idiom dictionary. Definition of lost his marbles in the idioms dictionary. Lost his marbles phrase. The idiom to lose one s marbles has a rather convoluted origin.

For i tell you that no boy ever lost his marbles more irrevocably than you and i will lose our self respect if we remain to take part in a wordy discussion that ends in a broil. This reference from new zealand was printed in the tuapeka times in august 1889. At one time marbles was a slang term for furniture a misrepresentation of the french word for. Umpire harrill lost his marbles in the eighth inning and called five balls on one man before giving him his base.

To lose one s marbles means to go insane to take leave on one s wits to lose one s mind. During the late 19th century losing one s marbles began to be used to mean getting frustrated or angry. Q from mike pataky. Another early instance is from the indianapolis morning star indianapolis indiana of 1 st june 1907.

The term lose one s marbles has undergone an evolution in meaning.